Oakland

Lunar Parading Between Prosperity and Privation

by Robin Lapid | Feb 23, 2024 9:42 am

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Posted to: Festival

2024 Lunar New Year Parade
Chinatown near Wilma Chan Park
Oakland
Feb. 18, 2024

I was unsure the weather would cooperate for this year’s Lunar New Year’s Parade in Chinatown and Little Saigon, although the conditions — as well as the levels of hope for the neighborhood in general — seemed sunnier by the end of the event. But gray skies still lurked in the distance.

Masses of people lined the nine blocks along 9th and 10th Streets near Wilma Chan Park downtown. I needed my sunglasses while watching the opening remarks before the parade kicked off at a stage nearby. Oakland mayor Sheng Thao was absent, mourning the recent passing of her mother, so Vice Mayor Dr. Kimberly Mayfield thanked everyone for attending. The underlying message of the opening remarks from various city officials and local sponsors focused on hope, in the form of greater vigilance to reducing crime in Chinatown (police and volunteer groups were thanked for patrolling the area to improve safety), and the need to support local businesses (we were encouraged to eat at neighborhood restaurants).

One official absent-mindedly wished everyone ​“Feliz Navidad.” (“Hey, local networks are filming us, you know,” the emcee joked.) But everyone was impatient to see the hallmarks of these parades — the dragons, the dancers and performers, the giant pandas.

Luckily, we were amply rewarded with all of the above. As the sun shone brighter, the parade got underway, concluding in a brisk half hour or so. Local community groups supporting the elderly, health clinics, police and firefighters, and other civic groups marched down the blocks in an array of costumes, as crowds jostled for a good view. For the Town, this parade felt like a lovely success. It had a hometown, neighborhood‑y feel but also brought some pomp and circumstance — a perfect encapsulation of the best of Oakland.

As last year’s parade was cold and rainy, the good weather seemed like a promising omen for the year to come. And the year of the dragon is always auspicious. In particular, it’s the year of the wood dragon (there are four different dragons in the Chinese zodiac, which I didn’t know beforehand — wood, earth, fire, water, and metal). The wood dragon is known to be introverted but career-driven, hungry for knowledge and challenge, characterized by strength and vitality.

There were performances and a raffle promised afterwards, but crowds started to head out pretty soon after the parade, including participants. I caught up with a young handful of people who had just marched in one of the many groups of dragon dancers, headed towards Broadway among the dispersing crowds. 

Maybe it was the threat of rain as the skies started to darken again. I walked west, admiring the beauty of quiet, empty streets, with the faint sounds of drumming receding in the distance, local markets selling lotus root and other produce on the sidewalks just outside their businesses. The neighborhood now felt lonely and abandoned, left only for the locals who live and work here. I remembered that this is the area we still want to save and support, still facing innumerable challenges. The dichotomy of prosperity and privation isn’t new to any city, but everything feels heightened in your own backyard. I felt like we were hungry to answer the challenge.

Tags: parade , party , holidays , festivals , culture