Thanksgiving 2026 Thanksgiving in San Francisco: what’s open on Thursday, the Turkey Trot and the long weekend → November, day by day
Project SFprojectsf.com
Skip to main content
Skip to content
Search⌘KSubmit an event

Chinese New Year Parade Viewing Spots: Route, Bleachers and Step-Free Seating

Where to watch the Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco on February 20, 2027: the route, free standing room, bleacher sections and step-free areas.

Red lanterns hung over a Chinatown street in San Francisco
Chinatown, San Francisco. A stock photo of the neighborhood, not of the parade.

The Chinese New Year Parade is free to stand and watch anywhere along its 1.3 mile route, behind the barricades. Bleacher seats are the only ticketed part. The organizer says the whole route is a good place to watch, and that the crowd gets thicker the closer you get to Chinatown.

The parade steps off at 5:15 p.m. on Saturday, February 20, 2027, at 2nd and Market Streets. Streets begin closing around 3 p.m.

Read on the parade organizer’s own site (chineseparade.com) on 3 November 2026. The route and bleacher locations are the organizer’s; 2027 Muni service changes are not published yet.

Feb 20, 2027Days until the parade, counted from today
5:15 p.m.Step-off at 2nd and Market, per the organizer
1.3 miRoute length, about, per the organizer
About 2.5 hrsHow long the parade runs, per the organizer

Where You Can Watch

  • FreeAnywhere Along the Route

    Stand behind the barricades. The route starts at 2nd and Market, goes around Union Square and ends at Kearny Street and Columbus Avenue.

  • FreeCloser to the Start

    The organizer says the crowd is lighter farther from Chinatown. We read no head counts for any one corner, so this is its general guidance only.

  • FreeFree Accessible Viewing Areas

    Reserved areas at street level along the barricades, marked with banners. The organizer says you do not need a ticket for these.

  • TicketedBleacher Sections A, B, C and E

    A is on Kearny between Washington and Jackson. B is on Kearny between California and Sacramento. C is on Post between Grant and Kearny. E is on Geary between Stockton and Powell. Sit anywhere inside your section.

  • TicketedCovered Seating Near Chinatown

    The organizer’s ticket page describes Section A1 as covered by a canopy and closest to Chinatown, and Section E3 as at Union Square with a gift bag. Its FAQ names the sections without the numbers, so we treat the two as the same sections. Not confirmed.

  • Do not stand hereMarked Crossing Points

    Crossing points are kept clear for emergency crews and for people crossing when police say it is safe. The organizer asks you not to watch from them.

Bleacher Rules and Costs

  • Tickets are sold digitally through the organizer’s ticket partner, and the organizer says it sells tickets only that way. It does not take Zelle payments. Sales are final and non-refundable.
  • Check in by 4:00 p.m. Your emailed receipt is not enough; the organizer says you must show the ticket’s QR code at a check-in station and wear the badge it gives you.
  • Children 2 and under are free if they sit on a caregiver’s lap.
  • Do not bring oversized cushions, coolers, pets, selfie sticks or tripods into the bleachers. Weapons, firearms, explosives and drones are prohibited at the parade.
  • Rain does not cancel the parade. Portable restrooms are placed along the route, usually near the bleachers.

We link no ticket sales. The organizer’s own pages are listed under Sources so you can check the sections and rules yourself.

Step-Free and Muni Notes

At The Parade

  • Accessible bleacher seats cost the same as standard seats. Choose an ‘ADA Section’ ticket for the section you want when you buy.
  • Free reserved accessible viewing is also offered along the barricades, marked with banners.
  • Could Not Confirm: whether the free accessible areas fill early, and how many spaces there are. The organizer’s pages do not say.

Muni Metro and BART, Step-Free

  • Muni Metro underground stations are reached by elevators from street to concourse and concourse to platform (SFMTA).
  • Every BART station has accessible elevators and wider fare gates, and each train car has a wheelchair area (BART).
  • Cable cars are not equipped with accessible boarding (SFMTA).
  • Could Not Confirm: boarding on Muni buses and historic streetcars. The SFMTA pages we read did not say. Our access page lists what we did read.
  • Check Muni Metro elevator status before you leave. If one is out, tell a station agent or call 311.

Getting There

The organizer strongly suggests public transit. Its transportation page lists BART stops at Embarcadero, Montgomery, Powell and Civic Center, and says the Central Subway (T Line) and Muni bus stops are two blocks from the Caltrain station and connect directly to the route. Garages it names: Ellis-O’Farrell at 123 O’Farrell, Golden Gateway at 250 Clay, Portsmouth Square at 733 Kearny, and North Beach at 735 and 766 Vallejo.

Streets close early. The organizer says police begin closing around 3 p.m. and that it is not responsible for delays that make you late to your section. Read our Muni one-pager for fares and our parking page if you drive.

What We Could Not Confirm

  • Bleacher ticket prices. The organizer’s pages we read show no prices; they are set in its ticket partner’s checkout.
  • 2027 Muni service changes and street closures. SFMTA had not published a page for the 2027 parade when we checked. We found no SFMTA page for the 2026 parade either. Watch sfmta.com/travel-updates.
  • Walking times between the route and BART or Muni stops. We read none.
  • The bleacher section labels (A and A1, E and E3). The organizer’s FAQ and ticket page use different names.
  • The route for any later year. Everything here is for the February 20, 2027 parade.

More Viewing Spots

Pride Parade Viewing SpotsMarket Street, grandstands, accessible areas.Fleet Week Viewing SpotsAir Show and Parade of Ships.Castro Halloween Viewing Spots18th Street and what the city confirmed.Parade and Event Viewing SpotsAll four collections in one place.Accessibility FactsStep-free venue and transit facts we checked.Muni One-PagerFares, lines and cable cars on one sheet.

Keep Planning

Questions People Ask

Do I need a ticket to watch the Chinese New Year Parade?

No. The parade is free and you can stand anywhere along the route behind the barricades. A ticket is needed only for the bleacher sections.

What time should I arrive?

The organizer asks bleacher ticket holders to check in by 4:00 p.m., with street closures starting around 3 p.m. For standing room it says only that the crowd grows toward Chinatown. We found no official arrival time for it.

Is there wheelchair seating?

Yes, two ways. Buy an ADA Section bleacher ticket at standard price, or use the free reserved accessible areas along the barricades.

What if it rains?

The organizer says the parade is not cancelled for rain.

Sources

  1. Chinese New Year Festival & Parade, FAQ: https://chineseparade.com/faq/ (read 3 November 2026)
  2. Chinese New Year Festival & Parade, Bleacher Tickets: https://chineseparade.com/tickets/ (read 3 November 2026)
  3. Chinese New Year Festival & Parade, Transportation: https://chineseparade.com/transportation/ (read 3 November 2026)
  4. Chinese New Year Festival & Parade, Home: https://chineseparade.com/ (read 3 November 2026)
  5. SFMTA, Travel updates: https://www.sfmta.com/travel-updates (read 3 November 2026)
  6. Project SF, Accessibility Facts (SFMTA and BART pages read 3 November 2026): https://projectsf.com/accessibility/ (read 3 November 2026)

Print / Save As PDF

Cite this page: Project SF, “Chinese New Year Parade Viewing Spots: Route, Bleachers and Step-Free Seating”, projectsf.com/visit/chinese-new-year-parade-viewing-spots/ (updated ).

Printed from projectsf.com on . Hours, prices and dates can change, so check with the venue before you go.