Orange County Events to Look Out For This February- The 122nd Lunar New Year Parade

As a culturally rich and historic city, Los Angeles offers a lot of meaningful traditions for its local residents and tourists, like the Lunar New Year Parade. Going on its 122nd year of celebration, the Lunar New Year Parade is clearly one of the most beloved events in Orange County. Keeping with this tradition, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles invites you and your loved ones to celebrate the Lunar New Year with them! Of course, given the current state of the Pandemic, this year’s presentation will be done completely online in order to keep Los Angeles healthy, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be any less fun! Continue reading for more information about this wonderful celebration and what you can expect to see at this year’s festival. 

The history of the Lunar New Year Parade

Los Angeles is proud to call itself home to the second longest-running Lunar New Year parade in the world. In fact, this festival dates back to the late 1800s. It was around this time that Chinese immigrants were first settling in the Los Angeles area. Unfortunately, they were met with unjustified discrimination and prejudice by those unfamiliar with Chinese culture. Seeking a way to reduce racial tension, teach the community more about Chinese history, and help Chinese immigrants feel more at home, the government came up with the idea to host the first-ever Lunar New Year celebration. That year, Chinese immigrants dressed up in traditional costumes, performed martial arts and showcased entertaining lion dances. Overall, the Lunar New Year parade started as a way for the Chinese community to share their culture with pride, and it has continued to do so ever since. Today, the Lunar New Year Parade is regarded as one of the most culturally significant events in the Los Angeles area. 

What to expect at the Lunar New Year 2021 celebration

Since its original inception, this event has certainly grown to be something quite elaborate in comparison to its humble roots. Of course, this year’s celebration might look a little different from past parades since it’ll be virtual for the first time ever. Over the past year, plenty of Orange County events have moved online in order to prioritize public safety in light of the Coronavirus. This year, the parade will be a three-hour-long program you can watch via the Los Angeles’ Chinese Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook Live, starting and ending from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm on February 13th, 2021. During their live stream, you’ll be immersed in Chinese culture thanks to their scheduled array of entertainment, music performances, choreographed dances, interviews, history, and more! To top it all off- this program is completely free! Just tune in any time during the parade to enjoy these festive activities. 

Date and time 

February 13th, 2021

1:00 pm to 4:00 pm 

Location 

Online via the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles’ Facebook page

Admission price 

Free 

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