As fireworks popped and crowds cheered, Cal Poly’s Mustang Band and the university’s cheer and dance teams marched among brightly colored floats and dragon dancers as they helped celebrate the Year of the Tiger at the Alaska Airlines Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco. The parade, which returned on Feb. 19 after a pandemic hiatus in 2021, marks the marching band’s seventh time participating in the Lunar New Year celebration.

Preparations for the parade began a month in advance: each Sunday consisted of lengthy music rehearsals, drills on marching technique and laps in formation to build endurance. Training was challenging — but worth it — to pull off a spectacular show.  

Once in San Francisco, the performers began the day with a friendly tradition: jamming with the UC Davis Marching Band in front of the landmark Ferry Building on the San Francisco Embarcadero. Drum major Natalie Tokhmakhian, a third-year electrical engineering student, said the gathering helped set the tone for the night as each band tried to out-play the other.

“Not only was it a great way to convey the energy and excitement that the bands had for the parade,” she said, “but we also had many supporters and fans come out and enjoy the music!”

More than 200 musicians and dancers clad in green and gold took to the 1.3-mile parade route past Union Square and Chinatown. Mustangs played