Oakland's Chinatown ushers in Lunar New Year with festivities

OAKLAND, Calif. - Oakland's Lunar New Year bazaar began Saturday with vendors lining the streets of Chinatown for the weekend-long celebration.

This is the 32nd year that the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce has hosted the open-air market to ring in the lunar new year.

This year, the community came out to welcome the 2024 Year of the Dragon with music, shopping, traditional lion dancers and lantern-making.

Stanford Medicine was also there, providing health information and resources to anyone who needed support.

"So many of us in our community are caregivers for our family and we're providing caregivers support as well. You don't have to be a Stanford patient for the community resources that we're sharing in the community today," said Barbara Hardy with Stanford Medicine. 

The bazaar will continue Sunday on Ninth and Franklin Streets in Oakland.

Additionally, there was a chance for kids to celebrate the lunar new year at Children's Fairyland.

Families came out to the Oakland theme park Saturday for a colorful dragon parade. Kids also had the chance to create their very own dragon paper puppets after the show. There will be another parade Sunday included with park admission. 

Parkgoers of all ages are invited to come out and welcome the Year of the Dragon with festivities kicking off at 11:30 a.m.