Nevada City Chinese Lunar New Year Parade and Festival

Start: Sunday, February 23, 2025 12:00PM
End: Sunday, February 23, 2025 4:30PM

The Nevada City Chinese Lunar New Year Festival and Parade welcomes the Year of the Snake, on Sunday, February 23, 2025, 12:00-4:30 p.m. Chinese New Year Festivals are rare in rural communities, and CATS, along with the Miners Foundry Cultural Center, is proud to present this eleventh family-friendly celebration, honoring the early Chinese Gold Rush pioneers and railroad workers of the Sierra. Nevada County was once home to thousands of Chinese during the Gold Rush, and this event honors their legacy. The community parade begins at 12:00 noon from the bottom of Commercial Street -- the site of the old Chinese Quarter. Revelers may line Commercial Street. The parade starts at the Robinson Plaza on Union Street (by the Nevada City Chamber office and the large Pelton Wheel), going up Commercial Street making a left turn down Broad Street, making a right turn down Bridge Street (Bonanza Market), and then onto Spring Street where the Lions and Dragon dancing will take place immediately following the parade. Revelers may follow the Lions and Dragon from Commercial Street to Spring Street. After their outdoor performance, more entertainment will take place at the Miners Foundry, for an afternoon of fun for the whole family! Free admission. We thank the Miners Foundry, the Nevada City Chamber of Commerce, the City of Nevada City, and the Nevada City Arts Council for their collaboration. Our parade Grand Marshal is Hindi Greenberg, President of the Board of Directors of InConcert Sierra and a volunteer and supporter of CATS for many years. She will be joined by her Board and staff. Parade units include Chinese ceremonial Lion Dancers and a 72’ Chinese Dragon from Eastern Ways Martial Arts of Sacramento, second and third graders from Bell Hill Academy, “Mulan,” (aka Lily Emmolo), martial artists, and other community entries. Food would be available for sale by Kaliko’s Hawaiian Kitchen and What’s Poppin’ Kettle Corn at the Foundry. The Foundry Bar will serve up Asian-inspired drinks! There will be Asian-themed arts and crafts and gifts for sale, a kid’s table, face painting with Chinese horoscope tattoos, Chinese tea ceremony demonstrations, community vendors and more! We are seeking parade entries, entertainers, vendors, exhibitors, sponsors, and lots of volunteers. Contact Jeannie Wood info@catsweb.org. The parade will be live-streamed by David Wong. The link will be posted on the CATS website closer to the date of the event on https://catsweb.org.