Its got a reputation for being the shortest, loudest, coldest parade in the nation. There’s always a dragon, some kind of other animal, and a lot of fireworks. It’s the Butte Chinese New Year Parade. It’s held every February and it’s not the typical parade. You don’t stand on the sides of the street and watch as it goes by, you participate. Following behind the dragon as it weaves through Uptown Butte and making as much noise as possible. All participants are encouraged to bring pots and pans to bang together or anything else that will make noise. People lead the dragon and there’s a model of the zodiac animal for whichever year it is in the calendar. This year is the year of the rabbit. My birth year 1987 just happens to also be a year of the rabbit. There are 12 different zodiac animals or so I’m told by the local Mai Wah society.
Being born in the year of the Rabbit I had to look up what this meant so here you go:
articulate, talented, and ambitious. They are virtuous, reserved, and have excellent taste. Rabbit people are admired, trusted, and are often financially lucky. They are fond of gossip but are tactful and generally kind. Rabbit people seldom lose their temper. They are clever at business and being conscientious, never back out of a contract. They would make good gamblers for they have the uncanny gift of choosing the right thing. However, they seldom gamble, as they are conservative and wise. They are most compatible with those born in the years of the Sheep, Pig, and Dog.
Hmmm my boyfriend is born in the year of the Tiger.
Anyways, this year was my second time covering the Chinese New Year Parade for KXLF. This year definitely felt longer than last year lasting about an hour. It was definitely cold and loud even though it wasn’t so short. The freezing wind was whipping about Uptown. I attempted to put my jacket hood up to block some of it but it just kept blowing off my head so I finally gave up. Fireworks were set off all along the parade route than a huge spectacle of them at the end. Being a journalist I set my camera as close as I could and once the smoke and sparks got to be too much I walked away and left the camera to catch the rest of the action.
However, like most Butte events it’s always great to see all the people who come out for it and how into they get. The Mai Wah Society (they put on the parade) did have people carrying red buckets for donations during the parade and I even saw a homeless man walk up and put some money in one of the buckets. Butte residents keep telling me this and I keep seeing it…the Butte people are extremely generous.
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