February 8th marked the first day of the Year of the Monkey and San Franciscans flocked to Chinatown to celebrate with food, friends, and fireworks. 

The Year of the Monkey represents a year of invention and improvisation. "The spirit of the Monkey encourages us to gamble, speculate, and exploit risky but ingenious options," elaborated the organizers of the Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco. 

If you missed the merriment last weekend, you can still catch the annual parade, which takes place on February 20, from 6 to 8pm.