The 145th Festival, celebrating the Year of the Snake, will take place in downtown Marysville on Saturday and Sunday March 1 and March 2. The Chinese American Museum of Northern California will be open on March 1. Photo by Teri Saya

MARYSVILLE, CA (MPG) - The 145th Bok Kai Festival, celebrating the Year of the Snake, will take place in downtown Marysville on Saturday and Sunday, March 1 and March 2.

The event is recognized as California's oldest continuously-held parade. Events throughout the weekend also include a car show, rib cook off, street vendors and fireworks.

Bok Kai is celebrated each year on the second day of the second month of the Chinese lunar calendar. This year’s festivities will begin on Saturday, March 1 with the Bok Kai parade at 11 a.m. and will continue into Sunday, March 2 with “Bomb Day,” concluding at 4 p.m.

The 145th annual Bok Kai parade will feature a vibrant procession of floats, performers and community groups, all celebrating the spirit and history of Bok Eye and the Marysville Chinese Community.

The parade organizers are proud to announce that Ric Lim has been selected as the grand marshal for this year’s event. With a lifetime of dedication to public service and community involvement, Ric Lim has made significant contributions to Marysville and the Yuba Sutter Area.

To accommodate the festival and the parade, Yuba-Sutter Transit's Route 1 and 4 will not serve bus stops on B Street, D Street and F Street on Saturday, March 1. 

The nearest alternative downtown stops in Marysville for Routes 1 and 4 on Saturday, March 1, will be on 3rd Street at or near the Adventist Health and Rideout Hospital. 

Coinciding with the 145th Annual Bok Kai Festival, the Chinese American Museum of Northern California in Marysville is opening a new exhibit on March 1 entitled “The Chinese Pioneer Families of Northern California.” There will be tours and lectures at the museum as part of this new exhibit. The museum is at 303 1st St., Marysville. For more information, check online at ChineseAmericanMuseum.com.

The museum exhibit will feature Chinese Pioneer Families from 13 Chinatowns: Auburn, Eureka, Fiddletown, Folsom, Hanford, Locke, Marysville, Mendocino, Oroville, Red Bluff, Sacramento, San Jose and Stockton. The exhibit will be open from noon to 5 p.m. March 1.