THE EVENT WITH THE PAGEANT KICKING OFF AT 7:30 THIS EVENING. IT'S ALL LEADING UP TO THE MAIN EVENT TOMORROW EVENING WHEN THE PARADE KICKS OFF IN SAN FRANCISCO WHEN THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WILL DESCEND ON CHINATOWN AND UNION SQUARE TO ENJOY ALL THE FLOATS, FOOD, MUSIC AND LION DANCERS. WE GOT AN EARLY PREVIEW ON THE MORNING EDITION FROM A VERY TALENTED YOUNG DANCER. TAKE A LOOK. ♪ >> WOW, THAT IS AMAZING. LOOK AT THAT. THE PARADE IS SCHEDULED TO KICK OFF AROUND 5:15 TOMORROW EVENING, WHICH MEANS A LOT OF TRAFFIC. SO BEWARE. KIDS FROM ALL OVER THE CITY WILL BE TAKING PART IN THE PARADE FROM LITTLE LION DANCERS TO ENTIRE CLASSES MARCHING ALONGSIDE FLOATS. OUR ITAY HOD GOT A FRONT ROW SEAT. HE ALWAYS DOES. WHAT DID YOU SEE? >> JULIETTE, I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD THIS. THERE IS A FAMOUS SHOW BUSINESS SAYING FROM W.C. FIELDS, NEVER WORK WITH CHILDREN OR ANIMALS AND NOW I KNOW WHY. >> OH. >> THEY DEFINITELY STOLE THE SHOW. I WAS SENT TO GARFIELD ELEMENTARY IN SAN FRANCISCO TO COVER THEIR DRESS REHEARSAL FOR THE PARADE. INSTEAD I ENDED UP INTERVIEWING A BUNCH OF PINT-SIZED COMEDIANS. >> ARE YOU READY? >> YES! >> Reporter: THIS MIGHT JUST BE THE MOST EXCITING DAY OF THE YEAR AT GARFIELD ELEMENTARY IN SAN FRANCISCO. IT'S THE FINAL DRESS REHEARSAL FOR THE CITY'S CHINESE NEW YEAR PARADE AND WHILE GROWN-UPS HERE WILL TELL YOU IT'S ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE, FOR STUDENTS THIS IS SERIOUS BUSINESS. >> I JUST WANT TO BE ON POINT AND SHARP. >> WE PRACTICED A LOT BECAUSE LAST TIME WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT THERE WERE JUDGES. >> Reporter: WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BE FOCUSED ON? >> LIKE NOT TRIP ON MY OWN SHOE. >> Reporter: THE LARGEST OF ITS KIND OUTSIDE OF ASIA, THE PARADE MARKS THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON. LAST YEAR THE SCHOOL TOOK FIRST PLACE. NOW THEY'RE HOPING FOR A REPEAT. THIS IS KOBE McALLISTER'S SECOND TIME MARCHING AND HE'S ONE OF THE VETERANS HERE. HE HAS A WINNING STRATEGY ALL PLANNED OUT. >> I'LL TRY MY BEST LIKE TO KEEP MY MIND CLEAR AND CALM AND JUST FOCUS ON THE PARADE. >> SHOW ME THE BEST PERFORMANCE! >> Reporter: MONICA IS A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER AT THE CANTONESE IMMERSION PROGRAM AS WELL AS THE SCHOOL'S CHOREOGRAPHER. >> LET'S GO! >> Reporter: SHE SAYS THE EVENT IS A CHANCE FOR STUDENTS OF ALL ETHNICITIES TO MAKE A CONNECTION. >> IT'S A LOT OF TEAM BUILDING THAT YOU DON'T LEARN IN TEXTBOOKS AND IN SCHOOL. >> Reporter: AS FOR KOBE, HE'S HOPING FOR A WIN. NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, HE'S NOT TO WORRY. >> I JUST THINK WE SHOULD JUST TRY OUR BEST AND THAT'S WHAT MATTERS MOST. >> Reporter: BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO A TIME HONORED TRADITION. GIVE ME YOUR BEST DRAGON LOOK. AS THEY HOPE TO SCORCH THE COMPETITION. >> THAT IS SO CUTE. LITERALLY AN EPISODE OF THE KIDS SAY THE DARNEDEST THINGS. >> I WAS LIKE THAT'S WHY THERE'S A SHOW LIKE THAT. HOW FUN. >> SO CUTE, YEAH. THIS IS ONE OF THE FOUR CHINESE IMMERSION PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE CITY, SO INSTEAD OF -- THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BILINGUAL AND IMMERSION. IMMERSION MEANS THEY LITERALLY SPEND THE ENTIRE DAY EVERY CLASS SPEAKING CANTONESE. >> DURING RECESS, DURING CLASSES FROM START TO FINISH. >> YUP. IN RECESS THEY PROBABLY SPEAK A LITTLE ENGLISH. IN CLASS CANTONESE ONLY. >>> LET'S DO THE ALL IMPORTANT THING. YOU SAY HAPPY NEW YEAR AND I KNOW WE'VE BEEN PRACTI
