Photos by Frank Wong & Jeannie Young
The 145th annual Bok Kai Parade marched through Marysville, California, this past weekend. According to The San Francisco Standard, it is the oldest-running parade in the state.
The Bok Kai Parade is a celebration of Chinese culture and traditions. Visit Yuba Sutter reports that its roots can be traced back to the 1850s. During this period, Chinese immigrants in the Marysville area began honoring the Chinese water deity Bok Kai to gain protection from the floods.
The San Francisco Standard reports that the celebrations are typically held on the weekend closest to the second day of the second month of the Lunar calendar.
Food offerings placed at the alter for the deities at Bok Kai Temple. 
Praying to a deity at the Bok Kai Temple. 
L to R – Three sisters, Jennifer Lau, Mable Vogt, and Helen Soon, who have been taking care of the Bok Kai Temple for 35 years, including driving from the Bay Area every weekend. 
Souvenirs and stuffed animals galore at the Bok Kai Festival. 
The Bok Kai Temple Museum attracts a crowd during the festival. 
Photo taken by Frank Mah and Jeannie Young for AsAmNews. Oldest dragon head Oldest Dragon head 
Photo taken by Frank Mah and Jeannie Young for AsAmNews. West Coast Lion Dance Troop from Daly City, Ca at Bok Kai Festival
This year’s parade began on Saturday at D and 6th Streets at 11 AM, heading south before eventually ending at the historic Bok Kai temple on D and 1st Streets. After the parade, attendees enjoyed the Bok Kai festival, which was filled with delicious food, cultural traditions and vendors.
According to ABC 10, Marysville was once home to one of the state’s third-largest Chinatowns. Over the decades, the parade expanded beyond the Bok Kai-related traditions. Today, the event has also become a way for the community to celebrate Chinese culture.
AsAmNews is published by the non-profit, Asian American Media Inc.
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