Children holding red envelopes huddled together along the side of the street as they waited for a troupe of lion dancers. Soon, a playful and energetic lion — brought to life by a pair of performers under a costume — approached the kids and “ate” their offerings.
This was among the sights in Chinatown on Saturday, where thousands gathered along Hill and Broadway streets for the Golden Dragon Parade to celebrate Lunar New Year. This was the 127th edition of the event, hosted by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles each year.
In addition to the more traditional Chinese performances, including lion and dragon dancers, this year’s parade featured marching bands, ballet folklórico dancers and a bagpipe troupe, highlighting the event’s theme: “Unity in the Community.”
Felipe Maxie, left, and wife Citali Gomez, center, at the 127th Golden Dragon Parade in Chinatown.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
“Although we’re celebrating the Lunar New Year, we are also celebrating our neighbors,” Mamie Hong Weinberg, parade chair and vice president of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of L.A., told KABC. “Chinatown is not made up of only Chinese people. We have all kinds of nationalities living in Chinatown now, so we wanted to celebrate that.”
The family-friendly event, which celebrated the Year of the Fire Horse, attracts visitors from throughout L.A. For many, attending the parade is an annual tradition, with those who once went as children now sharing the experience with their own kids.
The parade is “a beautiful show of unity,” said Lucas Zucker of Ventura. He attended the parade with his family, including his young daughter. It was their second year at the Chinatown event and they made a day of it, with purchases that included a lion dance puppet, Pokémon goods and even some milagros, small charms, from Olvera Street.
“We love all the tchotchkes,” said Grace Chang, Zucker’s mother. “We wanted to take the time to celebrate the new year and the community here.”
Samantha Kay, with the San Gabriel Valley Chinese Cultural Assn., performs a lion dance at the 127th Golden Dragon Parade in Chinatown.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
