The 13th Annual Central Florida Dragon Parade on February 16th is the most renowned community celebration of Lunar New Year. This festival parade is led by city and county officials, Asian American associations, and over 20 dragon and lion dancers as they welcome the Year of the Snake to Central Florida. The parade joyfully winds its way between Lake Highland and Thornton Avenue in the vibrant Mills 50 district.
Central Florida Dragon Parade started out with an exciting parade that included Orlando’s Mayor Buddy Dyer, Congressman Maxwell Frost, City Commissioner Patty Sheehan, Orange County Commissioner Kelly Semrad and Michael Scott , Orange County Sheriff John Mina, Florida State Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith, Florida State Representative Anna Eskamani, Florida State Representative Rita Harris, State Attorney Monique Worrell, and other city and county officials!
ADP is proud to be the title sponsor of the Central Florida Dragon Parade for the third consecutive year. Dragon Sponsors include City of Orlando Commissioner Patty Sheehan, Orlando Magic, Gyukatsu Rose, and City of Orlando – Government. Gold Sponsors include Maaswinkel Law P.A., Universal Orlando Resort, Bank of America, Orlando City Soccer Club, City of Orlando District 3 Commissioner: Robert F. Stuart, OUC – The Reliable One, Overseas Community Affairs Council, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Miami, Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce of Greater Orlando TCCGO 大奧蘭多臺灣商會, Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida (AACC), Payas, Payas & Payas Attorneys At Law, and Orange TV.
The Wah Lum Kung Fu Temple, under the leadership of Grandmaster Pui Chan and Sifu Mimi Chan, showcased their skills with over 50 participants carrying colorful flags during the parade. Along the route, they captivated the audience with impressive Kung Fu demonstrations and traditional lion dances.
Asia Trend showcased a breathtaking 50-year-old antique dragon dance performed by Alan Oyler, students from Lake Highland High School, and dedicated KPMG volunteers. The performance was followed by Caishen (the God of Wealth), portrayed by Ken Graff. Both the dragon and Caishen captivated the audience’s attention as they made their way through the parade route. Additionally, REACH of Central Florida and the YESS Center contributed to the festivities by bringing vibrant lion dances and offering their support as volunteers throughout the parade.
The Suncoast Asian Cultural Association (SACA Golden Dragons) from Tampa arrived with a group of twenty members who performed a traditional dragon dance, accompanied by mascots to entertain thousands of spectators. The Orlando Taiko Dojo Katsugi Oke Daiko team brought a captivating display of powerful, rhythmic, and dynamic energy to the parade.
Overall, the event was a celebration of culture, tradition, and community spirit, with each participant adding their unique talents to create a memorable and engaging experience for all in attendance.
Small Food Group Orlando hosted a five-hour Lunar New Year Festival following the Dragon Parade at the finish spot, the Edoboy parking lot. More than 30 food and vendor booths created a vibrant atmosphere to celebrate the Year of the Snake in the Mills 50 district. We extend our gratitude to the Small Food Group for generously donating all proceeds to the 13th annual Central Florida Dragon Parade.
In 2012, Asia Trend, Mills 50, R.E.A.C.H. of Central Florida, and YESS Center FL joined forces to create the Central Florida Dragon Parade. For the first three years, the parade followed a route along Hillcrest St. and culminated in a five-hour stage performance Lunar New Year Festival at the Colonial Photo & Hobby parking lot. From 2015 to 2017, the parade and festival were held at Orlando Fashion Square, with the festival taking place inside the mall. In 2018, due to its growing popularity, the parade returned to the Mills 50 district on Thornton Ave, with the festival hosted at the Edoboy parking lot. Unfortunately, the festival was not held in the 2021 pandemic. Dragon Parade returned in 2022 until now. We are honored to be recognized by Visit Orlando as one of the local Asian events recommended to tourists.
For more parade information, please visit http://www.centralfloridadragonparade.org
