With Chinese New Year less than 30 days away, San Francisco has started to prepare for their annual Chinese New Year Festival & Parade, rated one of the top ten parades in the world. Located in historic Chinatown, this is an event you won't want to miss, full of culture, music, and sights you'll only see this night out of the year.

The actual date of the Chinese New Year, which is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays, is February 7. Festivities last for fifteen days, culminating on the fifteenth day with the Tina festival. Celebrations include highly choreographed Dragon and Lion dances, fireworks, giving red envelopes (a child's favorite part, as the envelopes contain money), and celebrating the animal in which the year is dedicated to. 2008 marks the year of the Rat, celebrating people born in 2008, 1996, 1984, 1972, 1960, 1948, and so on.

This year, over 100 units will participate in the Chinese New Year Parade on Saturday, February 23 in San Francisco's Chinatown. The festival will be complete with floats, elaborate costumes, firecrackers, and the unveiling of this year's Miss Chinatown. Perhaps the most fascinating act, however, is the 201-foot long Golden Dragon, which takes over 100 men and women to carry through the streets of San Francisco. The Dragon parade has been the highlight of every year, and this year will certainly not disappoint.

To purchase bleacher seats for the parade, which are located in prime locations at Kearny street, Sacramento & California, or Pine & Bush street, go to the Chinese New Year Parade website. Those tickets cost $30. Otherwise, grab an open spot on the road and catch the festivities for free.

For those who want to get their party on before the parade, the Raindance Chinese New Year Celebration will be happening next Friday. This multimedia dance event complete with DJs, Live Music, a mini parade, and a New Year celebration with the White Crane Lion Dancers will be happening February 8. Glitch Mob, Claude VonStroke, Fort Knox Five, and many more plan on gracing the performance stage, so you know the place will be jumpin' until the early morning. For more info, check out the Raindance Celebration website. Presale tickets can be bought for $20 here.