Residents and visitors packed Palm Street in downtown San Luis Obispo on Thursday evening to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
The celebration is called the Palm Street Block Party. It was hosted within the city's historic Chinatown district and marked a revival of festivities organizers say were once a cornerstone of the community's cultural heritage.
"It's so important to create opportunities for community, to come and learn from each other and to celebrate," said Amber Karson, the owner of Ah Louis Store. "We definitely want to make sure that we are honoring our past and not forgetting those who came before us here in historic Chinatown, and to be able to come and share that history is really important."
It featured food booths, activities, and cultural performances.
The event, held from 6 to 8:30 p.m., was free and open to the public. It was organized by the Ah Louis Store in collaboration with the City of San Luis Obispo and the Downtown SLO Farmers' Market.
This year is the Year of the Snake, which has been described as an opportunity for renewal, regeneration, and shedding the things you wish to let go of.
