THE YEAR OF THE RAT IN THE CITY BY THE BAY
BY KIMBERLEY LOVATO
It might not sound like sound like something you’d want to
throw a party for, but the rat is the first sign of the 12-animal
Chinese zodiac. Thus when the lunar New Year rolls around on
January 25, 2020, celebrants herald its symbolism, including
wealth and surplus, new beginnings, and new opportunity.
If you can’t make it to China, then head to San Francisco instead
for a two-week festival that pulls back the curtain on the roots
and traditions of the city’s Chinese community in America’s
oldest and largest Chinatown. The fun fortnight brings family
friendly fairs to the streets of San Francisco and is capped off
by an illuminated evening parade (February 8) with elaborate
costumes, floats, and a newly crowned Miss Chinatown.
What began in the 1860s, just after California’s Gold Rush, as
a means to educate San Franciscans about Chinese culture, is
now a one-of-a-kind annual spectacle you don’t want to miss.
San Francisco Chinese New Year Flower Market Fair
Credit: Yau Kung Moon Gung-Fu Association
San Francisco’s Chinatown
Credit: Bluejay Photo
FLYWASHINGTON.COM 48 WINTER 2019/20