Chinese New Year Parade and NBA All-Star game a big win for SF this weekend

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Chinese New Year festivities and the NBA All-Star Game events are both happening in San Francisco this weekend.

That means big crowds, a lot of excitement and a big financial boost for the city.

The two-day Chinese New Year Community Festival in Chinatown San Francisco celebrated a new lunar year--the Year of the Snake. It's fun and festive and includes more than 100 local vendors.

This year, there's a very special convergence of Chinese New Year festivities--which included the parade--and the NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco.

So, that means lots of basketball fans and even celebrities are packing into to San Francisco's Chinatown.

PHOTOS: 2025 San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade

"I'm a former NBA player, an assistant coach of Miami Heat," said Caron Butler. "It was just an abundance of joy and happiness. I'm happy to be here."

Beau Hong and little Caleb are visiting from Los Angeles.

"That was Caron Butler. He used to play on the L.A. Lakers, by the way, and Miami," Hong said. "That was cool. That was cool to see him."

Hong hoped to catch the Chinese New Year Parade along with some NBA events.

In Chinatown, two special murals connected the year of the snake and the NBA, including one at Willie "Woo Woo" Park on Sacramento Street, where there are plenty of hoop dreams.

WATCH: San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade 2025

Malcolm Yeung is the executive director of Chinatown Community Development Center.

He said the Chinese New Year Parade and the NBA All-Star Event are a dynamic duo shining a light on the City of San Francisco.

"I think these two events coming together is really showing the best of San Francisco. It's highlighting the culture of the city, which is grounded and rooted in immigrants at large. Immigrants have made the city in many ways," Yeung said.

In Union Square, cable cars on the streets were all filled with visitors. Many of them are eager to spend big.

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Some people were definitely going home with a lot of merch this weekend.

These two major events are a big win for the city. This weekend will generate $350 million for San Francisco.

For sure, San Francisco is "winning."

"Chinese New Year Parade and the NBA All-Star game coming together is a really, really wonderful thing," Yeung said.