The Chinese New Year parade was held in San Francisco, which has a significant Asian population, on the evening of February 7, 2004. We left home a bit late, as I had to work that weekend on a network migration, so there were no good vantage points when we got downtown. We walked around a bit, trying to determine the best place to watch the proceedings, and settled on the corner of Kearney and Geary. It wasn't a good place really, and as night was falling by the time the parade started, it was difficult getting good shots. A video camera might've been a better option.

Winter sunrise in Oakland. The bright white light on the horizon on the right is a bank of floodlights at the Oakland Coliseum, home of the Raiders.

An Asian drum corps, one of the first groups to pass, marching down Geary as the light begins to fade.

A very gaudily dressed participant, who apparently either missed her group or is a supporter of San Francisco Tax Assessor Mabel Teng, whose parade ride is in the background.

Partial close-up of one of the dragons in the parade. The dragons were always brightly colored and generally quite animated.

Partial shot of one of the lion dancers as she raises the lion's head overhead.

Another shot of a lion's head, this one showing another strategy for elevating the head; a sturdy aluminum pole. Some of the dancers really got the undulating motion down pat.

A contingent of school children, representing one of the largely Asian schools, dressed as Chinese maidens.

Another close-up of the lion's head, showing the bright colors used to ward off evil as the New Year starts.

A group representing a Chinese benevolent association, with their banner, carried on intricately carved rosewood poles.

Another dragon-head close-up. By this time it was quite dark, and the flash could only carry so far.

Lion dancer using a support pole to provide the action.