San Francisco has many parades through out the year. Chinese New Year Parade is one of the best in the city. Parade starts around 5.30PM and makes it one of the few illuminated parades. The parade starts at the intersection of Market and 3rd street. Parade contingents starts lining up around 3-3.30PM in the afternoon. Staging area of the parade makes one of the best area to photograph the floats and participants of the parade.
As per CNY Parade website:
“Named one of the top ten Parades in the world by International Festivals & Events Association, the Southwest Airlines Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco is one of the few remaining night illuminated Parades in North America and the biggest parade celebrating the lunar new year outside of Asia. Started in the 1860’s by the Chinese in San Francisco as a means to educate the community about their culture, the Parade and Festival have grown to be the largest celebration of Asian culture outside of Asia. Since 1958, the parade has been under the direction of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce.”
This years parade had lot more dragons compared to last years. Parade ends with a huge lighted dragon dancing. Through out the parade route fire crackers were lighted right in front of this dragon dancers. Dragon dancing is really fun to watch.
Mayor of San Francisco also participates in the parade along with several city council members. Here is Mayor London Breeds Cool ride.
Parade creates great opportunity to photograph, specially colorful floats, marching bands, lion dance groups, kids with face painting etc. Here is my selfie 
I have been seeing this from last few years, now they have grown up.
Cute kids who were part of the parade.
San Franciso is city of cable cars, several cable cars also participate in the CNY parade. Here is SFPD participating in CNY
There are several companies also participate in the parade. South West is sponsor of the parade.
Parade starts with lighting of long and loud firecrackers.
Here is one of the Marching band groups lined up at the staging area of the parade.
Here is a cute lion dancer. Several lion dancing groups participate in the parade, they are really fun to watch.
Why did I take the picture of a shopping Cart? Well look at the size of this cart. Man sitting on it is driving the shopping Cart.
One more Cable car in the parade.
If you are in the San Fraciso in February this is a must watch event.
). They would light them and also throw them lit out in front of them on the street as they walked.