San Francisco marked the Year of the Fire Horse with its annual Chinese New Year parade on Saturday night, with thousands of revelers cheering on hometown hero and Olympic champion Elaine Gu as Grand Marshal.
The parade included drums, dancing and floats to celebrate the vitality of the Chinese American community in the oldest celebration of its kind outside Asia and one of the largest.
Civic leaders and performers marched from downtown to Chinatown by setting off fireworks. Children walked wearing inflatable horses while lion dancers and martial artists waved to the crowd.
The parade was first organized in the 1860s by Chinese immigrants who came to work during the California Gold Rush and wanted to share their culture through a “favorite American tradition,” according to the event’s website.
While the celebration always attracts large crowds, attendees were particularly excited for Joe, who was met with loud cheers.
Vanessa Chan of nearby South San Francisco said it represented “cultural inclusion.”
“She’s really cool,” Chan said. “She’s funny, she’s sunny, and she represents positivity.”
Gu appeared in the middle of the show in a red dress, and sat in a red convertible car decorated with flowers. The color is a symbol of good luck and prosperity on the Chinese holiday.
Show organizer William Gee said Gu was selected for the role by the middle of last year — before she competed in the 2025 Milan-Cortino Winter Games, where she won two silver medals and one gold, making her the most decorated freestyle skater in Olympic history.
“The Year of the Horse brings a lot of new life and energy,” Gee said. “It definitely represents Chinese heritage and is definitely an icon.”
Gu has come under scrutiny for her decision to represent China in the competition, and Megan Chen, also from South San Francisco, said she felt the Olympian was unfairly attacked.
“When you’re multicultural and you want to celebrate both heritages, it’s nice to be happy for someone if they want to celebrate their other heritage as well,” Chen said. “I’m proud of her.”
Calvin Lowe, who attended with his young son, said he loved Jo’s representation of the city she was born and raised in as well as her Chinese heritage.
“This is her identity, in both countries – so she gets the best of both worlds,” Lowe said.