The celebrations for San Francisco's Chinese New Year parade to welcome the year of the snake started off with a bang.

The celebrations for San Francisco's Chinese New Year parade to welcome the year of the snake started off with a bang.

This year is the Year of the Snake, and the reptile takes center stage on each of the floats designed and built by The Parade Guys.

A series of small earthquakes shook the San Francisco Bay Area on Thursday, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Tens of thousands of people will descend on San Francisco this Saturday to enjoy the annual Chinese New Year Parade that kicks off early that evening.