Thousands of spectators filled the streets of San Francisco Saturday night as the city celebrated the Year of the Fire Horse with its traditional Chinese New Year parade, featuring Olympic freestyle skiing champion Eileen Gu as the grand marshal.
The festive procession showcased the rich culture of the Chinese American community through drumming performances, elaborate floats, and traditional dancing in what organizers call the oldest Asian celebration of its kind outside of Asia and among the nation’s largest.
The parade route stretched from the downtown area to Chinatown, with participants marching through bursts of firecrackers. Young participants wore inflatable horse costumes while traditional lion dancers and martial arts performers entertained the crowds lining the streets.
According to event organizers, the tradition began in the 1860s when Chinese immigrants who arrived during California’s Gold Rush era wanted to showcase their cultural heritage through what they considered a quintessential “favorite American tradition” – the parade format.
Though the annual celebration consistently attracts large audiences, this year’s crowd showed particular enthusiasm for Gu, who received thunderous applause throughout her appearance.
“She’s really wonderful. … She’s funny, sunny, and she represents positivity,” said Vanessa Chan from nearby South San Francisco, describing Gu as representing “cultural infusion.”
The Olympic champion made her entrance midway through the festivities, wearing a striking red dress while seated in a flower-decorated red convertible. The red color holds special significance as a traditional symbol of luck and wealth during Chinese New Year celebrations.
Event organizer William Gee revealed that Gu was selected for the honor by mid-2024, well before her performance at the 2025 Milan-Cortino Winter Games where she captured two silver medals and one gold, establishing herself as the most accomplished freestyle skier in Olympic competition history.
“The year of the horse brings a lot of new life and energy,” Gee explained. “She definitely represents Chinese heritage and definitely is an icon.”
Despite facing criticism for her choice to compete for China in international competition, local supporters defended the athlete’s decision. Megan Chin from South San Francisco felt the Olympic star faced unjust criticism.
“When you’re multicultural and you want to celebrate both heritages, it’s great to be happy for someone if they want to celebrate their other heritage as well,” Chin explained. “I am proud of her.”
Calvin Lui, who brought his young son to watch the parade, praised Gu’s dual representation of both her San Francisco birthplace and her Chinese ancestry.
“That’s her identity, both countries — so she gets the best of both worlds,” Lui observed.
