2009 Chinese New Year Celebrations in San Francisco: Year of the Ox

The Chinese New Year in 2009 will be celebrated the world over, but possibly no location outside of China more festively than in San Francisco. With a large Asian population, San Francisco has officially held a celebration for over 150 years. The significance of the Chinese New Year in 2009 is marked in the Chinese Culture as The Year of the Ox. Based on a 12 year cycle, each year the Chinese Calendar years is represented by an animal. According to legend, individuals born in the Year of the Ox are patient and inspire confidence, have fierce temper, speak little but are eloquent and hate to fail. Here are a few of the outstanding activities for The Chinese New Year in San Francisco for 2009:

Chinese New Year Festival and Parade - Celebrating Asian Culture in San Francisco since 1860, The Chinese New Year Festival and Parade is the largest of it's type in The United States. The wonderful parade is held rain or shine on February 7,2009 from 5:15 PM to 8:00 PM , and features festive floats, beautiful costumes and firecrackers galore. With over 100 Community Groups participating, it is viewed in person and on television by several hundred thousand people. The San Francisco Chinese New Year Festival and Parade is televised locally on stations KTSF Channel 26 and KTVU Fox 2 from 6 to 8 PM. The Chinese New Year Parade is free to view, however bleacher seats located on Kearney Street are available for $30.

Miss Chinatown USA Pageant - Drawing Young Asian Women from across the United States for over 50 years, The Miss Chinatown USA Pageant is quite a popular event and is well known in locations far beyond San Francisco. The Young Women compete in a number of events similar to the Miss America Pageant, before a winner is declared. A featured event of San Francisco's Chinese New Years Celebration, The Miss Chinatown USA Pageant is held on January 31, 2009 beginning at 7:30 PM at The Palace of Fine Arts Theater. Tickets can be obtained from the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and are priced at $30, $40, and $60.