The Lincoln Middle School (LMS) Marching Band, directed by Tyra Ingram Cable and led by drum major Emily Tran, made its eighth appearance in San Francisco’s Chinese New Year Parade on Saturday, Feb. 15. Tens of thousands of people lined the streets to watch the parade and celebrate the Year of the Dragon. The parade, whose tradition stretches back to the 1860s, is one of this country’s few remaining night illuminated parades.

LMS band members wore Chinese costumes of black uniform pants, white tuxedo shirts, white shoes, red cummerbunds and red bow ties — topped off with red and black Chinese officers’ hats.

"It was especially exciting for all the musicians, parents and community to see the stellar performance of the Lincoln Band broadcast on national television this year," Cable said.

More than 5,000 people took part in this year’s parade, including Karen Li, the newly crowned Miss Chinatown U.S.A. with her royal court floats. Costumed elementary school and martial arts groups joined marching bands, high school and college drill teams, They were joined by Chinese acrobats, stilt walkers and a 201-foot-long golden dragon — all this punctuated by hundreds of exploding firecrackers.

The band will head to Anaheim in April where it will lead the Main Street Parade at Disneyland!

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