Oakland preps for 2025 Lunar New Year Parade

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council is prepping for its third annual parade to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

The 2025 Lunar New Year Parade presented by San Leandro Hyundai will celebrate the Year of the Snake on Saturday, Feb. 22. The day will be filled with cultural performances, lion dances, live music, and food, according to OCIC Executive Director Tony Trinh.

"We'll have about 20 different vendors," Trinh said. "It's not just Chinese food, but all types of food for people to enjoy."

When did the parade start?

The backstory:

According to Council President Stewart Chen, the parade returned to Oakland's Chinatown in 2023. It marked the first Lunar New Year Parade in more than 50 years in Oakland. Chen said the event has grown in three short years, starting with a few thousand attendees. This year, roughly 10,000 to 15,000 people are expected to attend.

City budget cuts impacted the parade before sponsor

What we know:

OCIC Executive Director Tony Trinh said the organization was struggling to cover the costs of the parade due to city budget cuts. He said Oakland recently made cuts to its Cultural Affairs grant program, which would have provided the OCIC with $12,000. 

San Leandro Hyundai, a Carnamic Car Center, stepped in as the exclusive presenting sponsor and will reportedly provide a $30,000 sponsorship to cover the parade.

"I'm excited," Chen said. "We're all excited."

More than 40 organizations are taking part and roughly 600 people are set to walk in the parade.

SEE ALSO: San Francisco's Chinese New Year parade goes off with a bang

The council is hopeful the festival and parade will be just as successful as last September's night market where thousands of people showed up and vendors sold out.

"We have seen a 20% to 50% increase in sales from a lot of these events, the night market and Lunar New Year Parade," Trinh said.

Organizers hope people will get excited about coming to Oakland and will return after experiencing Chinatown's hospitality.

"We have restaurant owners, small mom and pops. People actually come to Oakland Chinatown," Chen said. "We’re a hub for people all over the Bay Area. Oakland Chinatown is a living, breathing community."

 The Hyundai Oakland Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade & Festival will take place on Saturday Feb. 22 at Wilma Chan Park. Guests are asked to arrive by 10 a.m. and the parade will begin at 11 a.m.