Chinese New Year Festival February 21 in Nevada City

COMMUNITY ASIAN THEATRE OF THE SIERRA presents the Nevada City Chinese Lunar New Year Festival and Parade on Sunday, February 21, from noon-4 p.m., to welcome the Year of the Monkey.

Chinese New Year Festivals are rare in rural communities, and CATS presents this fifth annual celebration, honoring the Chinese pioneers of the Sierra Foothills.

The parade begins at noon the Chinese Monument on Commercial Street (the old Chinese quarter), led by ceremonial Lion Dancers and a 72-foot Chinese Dragon from Eastern Ways Martial Arts of Sacramento.

The entourage of community entries will make its way down Commercial Street and end at the Robinson Plaza where the Lion Dancers and Dragon will spearhead an afternoon of Asian culture and entertainment.

Food is available for sale on Union Street by Pho King Good, and exhibitors line Union Street.

Participants include a rickshaw pulled by Richard Yue of the Auburn Joss House, Grass Valley Taiko, Ka Hale Hula O Pilialohaokalani O Hilo Grass Valley, Xiao Mao (Little CATS) Asian Culture Club, Chinese Classical Dancer Lily Zhu, martial artists from Body Balance, and world music by Michael Martino and World Beatnix. For more information, visit CATSweb.org.