Over the weekend, people in San Francisco celebrated the return of the second annual Chinatown Lion Dance festival.
Held in Portsmouth Square, the two-day event showcased the unique styles of 12 lion dance, martial arts, and dance troops from around the United States.
The event is intended not only to show and share Chinese culture, but is also a way to connect Chinese-Americans to their history.
“As generations go on and on, you start losing the education about your ancestry and where you came from,” said Mike Mak, the event organizer. “So all that matters a lot, that’s what makes us American.”
San Francisco’s Chinatown is also the birthplace of lion dancing in America, which got its start in the city over 100 years ago.
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