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Ring in the Chinese New Year! (In San Francisco)
by Karen Solomon
Chinatown sparks with fireworks to ring in the Year of the Rabbit, and
the entire city of San Francisco is ablaze with the contagious energy
from the myriad of festivities to commemorate the year 4697.
San Francisco's large Asian population makes the Chinese New Year one of
the biggest, most exciting holidays to witness in the City by the Bay.
The usual crowd of about half a million tourists and locals shows up for
the enchanting Chinese New Year's Day parade, plus a host of other
activities, including treasure hunts, street fairs, contests and races.
Winding down Market Street and heading into the heart of Chinatown,
excited onlookers snap photos and wave sparklers, creating as much of a
spectacle as the Chinese New Year parade itself. Brilliant colors trail
after acrobats, dancers, floats of rabbits and Chinese shrines, and the
star of the show, Gum Lung, the 160-foot golden dragon, catches the eyes of every parent and child in attendance.
In addition to the daily onslaught of mothers and grandmothers stocking
up on bok choy and dungenous crab from the small exotic shops of the
area, S.F.'s Chinatown was bursting at the seams with celebrants enjoying
local crafts, foods and carnival attractions. All weekend long,
visitors enjoyed kite- and lantern-making, traditional arts like folk
dancing and Chinese character calligraphy, or taking in puppet shows set
to traditional music. And, a visit to Chinatown any time of year would
not be complete without tasty Dim Sum favorites like Shrimp Har Gow,
small dumplings of savory shrimp wrapped in sticky rice paper, and Cha
Siu Bau, delicious steamed barbecue pork buns.
The Chinese New Year's Treasure Hunt (http://www.well.com/user/jayson/)
is a unique annual experience that is a great way to get to know the city's
back alleys and rich history. Thousands of participants gather to
sleuth clues about S.F.'s hidden streets and monuments and take a brisk
four-hour walk through the pulsating Chinatown and North Beach
districts. Everyone gains a little more knowledge about the city than
they had before. For visitors especially, the Treasure Hunt is a great
way to tour S.F., see some magical views and get insider's street
knowledge, and meet some locals who may join you on your team. And,
best of all, every penny of the proceeds from the event is donated to a
local charity.
Other activities commemorating the New Year include the Miss Chinatown
USA pageant, fashion show and coronation ceremony. A 10K race/5K walk
encourages health in the New Year, and the annual Flower Fair helps to
shepherd in beauty with a dramatic display of orchids and flowering
quince. Truly, there is something to pander to every interest on this
citywide holiday, and the whole town encourages you to join in the
celebration.
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