San Francisco's Asian American community is marking the Lunar New Year with traditional customs and celebrations. The Examiner spoke to local civic leaders about their favorite Lunar New Year traditions, highlighting the importance of family, food, and community in this vibrant cultural holiday.
Many of San Francisco's roughly 300,000 Asian American residents — more than a third of all San Franciscans — are celebrating an important cultural holiday. Wednesday marked the official start of the Lunar New Year , widely observed and celebrated in Chinese, South Korean, and Vietnamese cultures, which historically adhere to the lunar calendar.
While San Francisco's political officials are not demographically representative of how dense and diverse its Asian population is, the city still boasts far more Asian American leadership than most major cities in the U.S. Families are ringing in the 15-day celebration — marking the end of the Year of the Dragon and the start of the Year of the Snake — with a broad number of different customs and festivities. Gifting red envelopes, feasting on noodles to represent the hopes for a long and healthy life, and cleaning to get rid of the bad luck from last year are among the time-honored traditions. The Examiner recently asked San Francisco's Asian American civic leaders for their personal favorite Lunar New Year traditions, as well as those within the city. Here are their responses, which are presented in alphabetical order and largely revolve around food. These answers have been lightly edited for clarity. Supervisor Connie Chan says, 'It's all about family. New Year's Eve dinner with my family and also making rice balls with my family during the lantern festival on the 15th day of the Lunar New Year.' Supervisor Chyanne Chen says, 'In general, Lunar New Year is all about celebrating family, community, and cultural heritage. I love the tradition of gathering for a big family meal, filled with symbolic dishes like fish for prosperity and dumplings for wealth, and exchanging red envelopes as a symbol of blessings and good fortune. It’s a moment to honor our elders and pass cultural values to the next generation.' 'In San Francisco, I treasure the vibrant Chinatown celebrations, especially the annual Lunar New Year Parade. This event beautifully showcases AAPI cultural heritage and our city’s diversity while fostering a strong sense of community connection. The dazzling colors, dynamic energy, and shared unity reflect the essence of our city and celebrate the strength of our cultural roots and the collective hopes we carry into the new year.' City Attorney David Chiu says, 'During the season, my extended family gathers for a feast, usually with dumplings, longevity noodles and oranges. We try to clean our home, wear red for good luck, carry earplugs for the fireworks, and can't wait for San Francisco's Chinese New Year Parade — the biggest Lunar New Year celebration outside of Asia.' City Administrator Carmen Chu says, 'My extended family comes together during Lunar New Year to share a meal and connect over longtime dishes cooked in our family. ‘Food has a way of evoking memories and marking important times in our lives. I’ve started the practice of collecting family recipes to keep a record of the foods that we enjoy together. I’m excited to pass it on to my daughters and for them to carry on our traditions.' Department of the Environment Director Tyrone Jue says, 'At our annual family gathering, I've graduated from red envelope recipient to giver — but there's a catch! The kids still have to earn their lucky money like I did by reciting a traditional New Year greeting in Chinese. 'Growing up in Chinatown, I've had a front row seat to see how our Lunar New Year celebrations and cultural traditions can unite our city. The neighborhood comes alive with lion dances, firecrackers, street fairs, and the annual parade, bringing hundreds of thousands together to share in the festive spirit.' Former Supervisor Jane Kim says, 'My favorite Lunar New Year tradition is our annual parade and walking around Chinatown. 'While this is not the most unique response, I have only missed one parade since 2000. I love the parade because the entire Chinatown community comes out to celebrate our community, city and our unique Asian and Chinese American history. 'It’s my opportunity to see my entire Chinatown family from the Chinatown Community Development Center and our many engaged and dedicated small business and nonprofit leaders who make our community thrive. It’s a reminder of how lucky we are in San Francisco. 'My favorite part of the parade was Rose , since I was a baby organizer with CCDC. We will continue to remember her sharp and honest humor and truth to power revelations.
LUNAR NEW YEAR CHINATOWN ASIAN AMERICAN TRADITIONS CELEBRATIONS FAMILY FOOD FESTIVITIES SAN FRANCISCO
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