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Nevada City Today
By the People, for the People
Nevada City Celebrates Lunar New Year with Parade and Festival
The 12th annual event honors the legacy of early Chinese Gold Rush pioneers and railroad workers.
Published on Mar. 2, 2026
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The 12th annual Nevada City Chinese Lunar New Year Parade and Festival, organized by Community Asian Theatre of the Sierra (CATS), celebrated the Lunar New Year with a parade featuring horses, lion dancers, a 72-foot Chinese dragon, and other cultural performances. The event honored the legacy of early Chinese Gold Rush pioneers and railroad workers in the Sierra Nevada region.
Why it matters
The Lunar New Year parade and festival in Nevada City is an important annual event that celebrates the region's Chinese American history and cultural heritage. The event brings the community together to honor the contributions of early Chinese immigrants who played a vital role in the development of the area during the Gold Rush and railroad construction eras.
The details
The parade featured a variety of units, including horses and riders from the Nevada County Sheriff's HEART (Humane Emergency Animal Rescue Team), Chinese ceremonial lion dancers, a 72-foot Chinese dragon, students from Bell Hill Academy, local theater groups, hula dancers, and Japanese taiko drummers. The event was organized by CATS, a local nonprofit that promotes Asian theater and culture.
- The 12th annual Nevada City Chinese Lunar New Year Parade and Festival took place on March 1, 2026.
- The parade and festival honored the Lunar New Year, which in 2026 was the Year of the Fire Horse.
The players
Community Asian Theatre of the Sierra (CATS)
A local nonprofit organization that promotes Asian theater and culture in the Sierra Nevada region.
Nevada County Sheriff's HEART
The Humane Emergency Animal Rescue Team of the Nevada County Sheriff's Office, which participated in the parade with horses and riders.
Los Caballeros de Auburn
A group that provided the horses for the Nevada County Sheriff's HEART unit in the parade.
Eastern Ways Martial Arts
A martial arts school from Sacramento that provided the 72-foot Chinese dragon for the parade.
Jeannie Wood
The executive director of CATS, who invited participants to the parade.
The takeaway
The Lunar New Year parade and festival in Nevada City is a cherished annual event that celebrates the region's rich Chinese American history and cultural heritage, bringing the community together to honor the contributions of early Chinese immigrants who played a vital role in the development of the area.
