Catch the Cal Poly Mustang Marching Band as they participate in the Alaska Airlines Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco this February.
The Mustang Band first performed along the 1.3 miles of the Chinese New Year Parade in 2014 — one of 15 marching bands that participated. It has been awarded first place in the adult marching bands category multiple times.
The band’s more than 210 members, from academic disciplines across the Cal Poly campus, perform for nearly 50 occasions on campus each year, including in support of athletic events and university functions.
Prior to the 6 p.m. start of the parade, the Mustang Band will continue the tradition of performing some of its favorite pep and post-game tunes with the UC Davis Marching Band in front of the landmark Ferry Building on the San Francisco Embarcadero at 3 p.m.
The parade began in the 1860s as a means for the Chinese community in San Francisco to educate and share its culture with the greater community. The parade and festival have grown to be the largest celebration of Asian culture outside of Asia. Today, it has emerged as one of the Top 10 parades in the world by the International Festivals and Events Association.
The Chinese New Year Parade will celebrate the "Year of the Rabbit" with floats, dragon dancers and other festive entries. The event will be streamed live from the parade’s Facebook page. It will also be broadcast on San Francisco Bay Area TV stations: KTVU Fox 2 from 6-8 p.m., again on Feb. 4 at 9 p.m., and then again on Feb. 5 at 4 p.m.
