SF’s Iconic Red Lanterns Return to Chinatown
Back in early 2023 the hail and wind from the atmospheric river in San Francisco left the iconic red lanterns on Grant Avenue in shreds. The Chinatown Merchants Association had installed these lanterns on Grant over 10 years ago and had become just as important a symbol of Chinatown as the dragon gate.
Including labor and material, each new lantern costs about $150. A string of lanterns costs $1,000. Fortunately, a GoFundMe campaign raise over $43,000.
On Tuesday, August 8, 2023 at 8pm the lanterns are officially back with a ribbon cutting ceremony along with lion dancing and a perfomance by the Grant Avenue Follies set to take place at California and Grant to celebrate 180 new red lanterns that will dangle high above the streets of Chinatown.
Why 8/8 at 8pm? 8 is considered the luckiest number in Chinese culture because its pronounciation “Ba” soudns similar to the word “fa” which means to make fortune.
The Join the SF Chinatown Merchant Association in celebrating the return of the red lanterns. Following the ribbon cutting ceremony will be a raffle drawing for a dinner with Marin Yan at the Empress of China.
h/t ABC7
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