Butte is prepared for the yearly Chinese New Year parade to commemorate the Year of the Dragon

Butte Montana – Since 2019 is the Year of the Dragon, the Chinese New Year Parade in Butte will be led by the city’s very own dragon through Uptown Butte. It’s regarded as Butte’s loudest, coldest, and shortest parade.

“It’s the Year of the Dragon. Dragons are charismatic, intelligent, and courageous,” said Mai Wah Society President David Stonehocker.

For nearly three decades, Butte has celebrated its Chinese heritage with a parade where a dragon bestows good fortune on several Uptown businesses, and attendees are urged to create noise to ward off evil spirits.

“Make lots of noise, so bring pots and pans and lids and things to make noise with,” said Stonehocker.

The procession honors the historical contributions made by Chinese people to Butte.

“There were somewhere around 1,100 Chinese in Butte providing all kinds of services, besides the laundry and mercantile and the restaurants. At one time there were nine noodle parlors here in Butte,” he said.

This week, in celebration of Chinese New Year, kids are welcome to create their very own dancing dragons at the Butte Library.

“This is great because you can learn at home, and then you can come and appreciate it and then you have something to bring to the parade to go along with the gigantic dancing dragon,” said Butte Librarian Shari Curtis.

This week, in celebration of Chinese New Year, kids are welcome to create their very own dancing dragons at the Butte Library.