LIT ALSO BE STREAMING ON PARAMOUNT+. >>> IN OTHER NEWS TONIGHT, THE LUNAR NEW YEAR KICKED OFF THIS MORNING AROUND THE GLOBE AND ASIAN COMMUNITIES HERE IN THE BAY AREA USHERED IN THE EXTRA LUCKY YEAR OF THE DRAGON WITH CELEBRATIONS IN SAN FRANCISCO, SAN JOSE, AND OAKLAND. JOHN RAMOS TAKES US TO THE HEART OF OAKLAND'S IT'STIVITIES WITH A LOOK AT WHAT'S BEHIND THE FAMOUS LION DANCE TRADITION. >> Reporter: THE CHINESE BELIEVE THAT HOW YOU CELEBRATE LUNAR NEW YEAR WILL SET THE TONE FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR. SIT A TIME OF OPTIMISM AND IN A PLACE LIKE OAKLAND A LITTLE GOOD FORTUNE IS A WELCOME THING. THE CHINATOWN BUSINESS DISTRICT WAS SURPRISINGLY QUIET ON THE FIRST MORNING OF THE LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION. THAT IS UNTIL THE FIRECRACKERS CAUGHT THE YAMATO FAMILY VISITING FROM THE PHILIPPINES OFF GUARD. >> WE CAME DOWN TO SEE IF WE COULD FIND DRAGONS DANCING. IN THE PHILIPPINES, THE DRAGONS DANCE AT THE BUSINESS, SO THIS IS VERY EMPTY COMPARED TO WHAT WE'RE USED TO. >> Reporter: MANY OF THE BIGGER EVENTS HAPPEN LATER IN THE WEEK, BUT THERE WAS A LONG LINE WAITING AT THIS PASTRY SHOP AS PEOPLE SHOPPED FOR THEIR FIRST NEW YEAR'S MEAL. AS HE WAITED WITH HIS GRANDFATHER, JASON SAID HE ENJOYS THE CELEBRATION AS MUCH AS A TEENAGER CAN. >> I THINK IT'S A FUN TRADITION. I UNDERSTAND LIKE MOST PEOPLE TAKE IT MORE SERIOUSLY, BUT I TRY TO HAVE FUN AND HANG OUT WITH MY FAMILY. >> Reporter: DO YOU THINK THAT'S THE WAY YOUNG PEOPLE LOOK AT IT? >> YEAH, I WOULD THINK SO. >> Reporter: THE REAL TRADITIONS WERE HAPPENING AT JACK LONDON SQUARE WHERE CHILDREN'S DANCE TROOPS ENTERTAINED THE CROWD. IN CONTRAST, THE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION DEMONSTRATED A STYLE OF MARTIAL ARTS. THE EVENT MC SAYS SOME OF THE MEMBERS HAVE BEEN CARRYING ON THE TRADITION FOR 60 YEARS. >> WE TRY TO SHARE THE STORY OF OUR CULTURE, AND WE DON'T WANT IT TO BE LOST. SO IT'S EVEN MORE FULFILLING THE OLDER WE GET. AND WE WANT IT TO CONTINUE. WE WANT PEOPLE TO STILL UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS, WHY IT'S DIFFERENT, AND YOU KNOW, IN TODAY'S CULTURE, THERE'S SO MUCH TECHNOLOGY, WE'RE STILL BASING OURSELVES ON THE BEGINNING, ON THE REAL HARMONY OF LIFE. >> Reporter: THE GROUP ALSO PERFORMS THE FAMOUS LION DANCE. AS THE LEGEND GOES, VIL GERS WERE BEING THREATENED BY A DEADLY MONSTER, SO THEY CREATED THEIR OWN VERSION OF A LION, THE ONLY CREATURE BRAVE ENOUGH TO SCARE AWAY EVIL SPIRITS. 12-YEAR-OLD DANCER ZOE SAY SHE'S HAPPY SH CAN BE PART OF THE ANNUAL PROGRAM. >> IF THE -- IF WE DIDN'T CELEBRATE IT, IT WOULD MEAN WE NEVER DEFEATED THE MONSTER SO. I WOULDN'T, LIKE, STILL BE ALIVE, KIND OF. >> Reporter: YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO DEFEAT THIS MONSTER EVERY YEAR? >> YEAH, KIND OF. OR IT'S LIKE A CELEBRATION. >> Reporter: IT IS A CELEBRATION THOUSANDS OF YEARS IN THE MAKING, BUT THIS YEAR IS SPECIAL. IT'S THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON, AND LORAIN YI BELIEVE IT'S COMING AT A LUCKY TIME CONSIDERING ALL THE CHALLENGES OAKLAND MAY BE FACING. >> OF ALL THE 12 ANIMAL, EVERY ANIMAL EXISTS EXCEPT FOR THE DRAGON. IT IS THE ONLY MYTHOLOGICAL CHARACTER THAT WE HAVE. BUT WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT IT MEANS THE MOST. IT'S THE STRONGEST, THE FIERCE, THE MOST AGGRESSIVE. SO I USED TO ALWAYS SAY WINDS OF CHANGE. SO LET'S HOPE IT'S A POSITIVE WINDS OF CHANGE. >> Reporter: MOST BELIEVE OAKLAND COULD USE A POSITIVE CHANGE IN ITS FORTUNE, WHETHER IT COMES FROM A MYTHICAL CHARACTER OR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO FIGHT TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. >> THE LUNAR NEW YEAR IS HELD AT A DIFFERENT TIME EACH YEAR DEPENDING ON THE POSITION OF THE MOON AND
