Dozens of dragons and lions were unleashed Saturday on Los Angeles’ Chinatown as the 127th Annual Golden Dragon Parade hit the streets to celebrate the Year of the Horse.
Hundreds of spectators watched as Mayor Karen Bass and other dignitaries passed by in classic convertible cars and watched local school marching bands and martial arts groups perform.
This year’s theme was “Unity in the Community,” a nod to the diversity of Los Angeles.
The parade and festivities, put on in part by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, began at 1 p.m. Saturday on North Hill Street, went through Bernard Street and ended on Broadway at Temple Street. Street closures went into effect earlier in the day.
Street closures began at 10 a.m. on and around the parade route, which winds along Hill Street from Temple Street toward Bernard Street, where the route turns right, followed by another right on Broadway, then back to Temple.
The city of Long Beach also celebrated the Lunar New Year Saturday afternoon at Second Street and Pacific Coast Highway with cultural performances, martial arts demonstrations, calligraphy, crafts and more.