Chinatown’s annual Spring Festival (Chinese New Year/Lunar New Year) parade returns for its 51st year in 2025. Join us on Sunday, February 2, in ringing in the year of the Wood Snake by watching the parade and enjoy the festivities by spending the day in Chinatown!
The parade will begin around 11:00am on West Pender Street in front of the Millennium Gate (000 Block) and continue east until Gore Avenue, then head south until turning back west on Keefer Street before ending at Carrall Street.
After the parade, many local businesses will host a 採青 (coi2 ceng1 | cǎi qīng) lion dance performance to bring good fortune in the new year. Keep an eye out for the different athletic clubs who will be performing these lion dances on each street.
First organized in 1973, the parade heralds the start of each new year in the chinese calendar. Lion dancing, firecrackers, and the abundance of the colour red symbolize the warding off of Nian, a monster that, according to legend, would terrorize the people around the time of the new year. Last year’s parade, marking the year of the Wood Dragon, drew thousands of attendees, and hosted dozens of community groups including lion dance, dragon dance, traditional dancing, and more.
COVID Safety Information
For the health and safety of all our community members (especially seniors, disabled and immunocompromised folks), we recommend that attendees wear masks given the tight quarters while watching the parade.
Accessibility Information
Transit: Chinatown is accessible by bus and skytrain. The closest skytrain station is Stadium-Chinatown.
Parking: There is street and lot parking available in Chinatown. We recommend taking transit as this is one of the busiest days of the year in the neighbourhood, so parking may be difficult to find.
Seating: No seating is provided to the general public.
Bathrooms: There are public bathrooms in the Chinatown Plaza Mall and in International Village.
Venue accessibility: The sidewalks are often crowded before, during, and after the parade, and the pavement can be uneven.
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