Los Angeles Chinatown Firecracker Run

Johnny Lam completed 12 years straight of running for Firecracker. This year he's going to volunteer as a ride marshal. Thank you Johnny!!!

Early Registration ends tonight! ⏰

🚴‍♀️🚴🚴‍♂️

to the ones that lift us up 🤍

👊👊👊

TGIF! 🙌

happy 🐪 day, almost there! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️🏃

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After 2 years of meeting virtually, our Firecracker Family was able to have a gathering tonight at Eastside Italian Deli in LA.

Delicious eats, good chats, and great memories. What more could we ask for?🥰

Special Thanks to:

Eastside Italian Deli for having us. If you haven't tried their food, stop by for lunch. Everything is great!

Phoenix Bakery Inc for the delicious strawberry whipped cream cake. Did you know that Phoenix Bakery was the creator of this trending cake? Stop by and you'll see why they've been going strong since 1938.

Thank You for your support. Funds raised form the event allowed us to support Angel City Sports, so we are inviting you to this event made possible by the participants of Firecracker 🧨 Events.

We would like to thank all of our participants for their love and support, especially the ones who travel far and wide like Canada! Definitely looking forward to next year's hare race!

A Year of the Tiger Celebration in Chinatown

"California Live’s Angela Sun talks to Dr. Yuen from the Chinese American Museum about the importance of the Lunar New Year, The Year of the Tiger and traditional dishes and their significance. Angela also talks to Wilson Gee, member of the LA Firecracker Race Committee and learns how to get involved with this year’s virtual firecracker run."

A Year of the Tiger Celebration in Chinatown Los Angeles’ Chinatown keeps the Chinese culture alive in California. The pagoda-style buildings and decorative red lanterns set the perfect scene for a Lunar New Year celebration. California Live’s Angela Sun talks to Dr. Yuen from the Chinese American Museum about the importance of the Lunar N...

Give the gift of a Firecracker registration this Galentine’s or Valentine’s Day! Bike, run, or walk together with your loved ones and besties! 🤍

Give the gift of a Firecracker registration this Galentine’s or Valentine’s Day! Bike, run, or walk together with your loved ones and besties! 🤍

Los Angeles Chinatown Firecracker Run updated their phone number.

Los Angeles Chinatown Firecracker Run updated their phone number.

Happy Lunar New Year! 🧨🧨🎋🧧🧧🐯🐯🐯

Go LA ! 🐏🐏🧨🧨🧨🧧🧧🏅

Register to join L.A. Chinatown Firecracker for this year’s Virtual Event! Use Discount Code VIRTUALTIGER for 10% off your registration (valid thru 2/1/22). Visit www.firecracker10k.org for more information

Today, after careful consideration amidst the recent surge of the Omicron variant, and serious spike in hospitalization, the L.A. Chinatown Firecracker Run Committee (LACFRC) has decided to have this year’s 44th Annual L.A. Chinatown Firecracker 5/10K Run/Walk, 14th Annual 20/40Mi Bike Ride, Kiddie Run and PAW’er Dog Walk go completely virtual. During this time of uncertainty, the LACFRC remains committed to its mission of promoting fitness and healthy lifestyles and made this difficult decision for the safety of our thousands of supportive participants, spectators, volunteers, vendors and local community and our healthcare workers.

Participants will be able to complete their event(s) by downloading and activating the RaceJoy App on their mobile device. The app will track the participants' events as they run/walk/ride and record their results. The RaceJoy app provides live GPS progress alerts, tracking, Send-a-Cheer (where participants may receive supportive audio cheers from remote friends and family) and virtual results. Participants may also submit their results manually on the L.A. Chinatown Firecracker registration site.

L.A. Chinatown Firecracker will continue to prioritize the health and safety of all participants and volunteers, including a focus on adherence to public health guidelines. Each registered participant receives a commemorative 2022 Firecracker race bib, exclusive-collectible finisher’s medal, limited edition t-shirt and goody bag.

Also, for all current registrants, please check your email inbox for more information.

We’re excited to share the design for the 2022 Year of the Tiger tee! Uncage your pride. Register today to earn yours on Feb 19-20!

www.firecracker10k.org

Hurry! The 2021 Firecracker Fund grant applications are due @ 5PM on Friday, December 3rd, 2021. All API organizations with projects that promote health and wellness are encouraged to apply!

Please see application for grant criteria.

https://apcf.wufoo.com/forms/2021-firecracker-fund-grant-application/

Continuing with our Faces of Firecracker edition, we'd like to introduce our Committee Member, Greg Kimura. Learn about how he got involved with our organization and a bit about his occupation & hobbies. Enjoy his story.

Father, Grandfather.
Recent community hero: a pharmacist working at a mass CoVid vaccine site. Former race director for the 2012 Year of the Dragon.

Turned to Firecracker as a marathon training ground in 1998 Year of the Tiger. Joined the Firecracker family after running the 10k that one time. A leader and founding member (along with Jimmy Kwan, Larry Quan, and Jeanne Tong) of the Firecracker Taiko (Japanese drum) group formed to build connections and to provide entertainment at L.A. races, including Firecracker.

Helping and meeting genuine people has made Greg’s Firecracker service meaningful. He has developed lifelong friends who have become like family.

On his ideal day, Greg can be found backpacking or hiking in Yosemite - unplugged from work and the world.

Most of Greg’s wardrobe consists of Firecracker wear. His favorite design being 2016’s monkey. We welcome you to join us in-person for our 2022 run and ride events (February 19th and 20th), where you’ll be sure to find Greg sporting the Year of the Tiger design

Happy Wednesday Firecracker Fam! We would like to share a new edition called, "Faces of Firecracker", where we highlight one committee member and share their journey in being involved with our Organization, and a little about their personal life. Here's a scoop about our Awards & Medals Chair, Gloria Gee.

Why is Firecracker meaningful to you?

Volunteering with Firecracker is my small way of giving back to a community that embraced me while growing up as a "weekend Chinatown kid." As my parents drove to Chinatown each weekend to meet up with friends for mahjong, we kids tagged along and basically roamed the few small blocks encompassing the lively and quaint town. The voices and faces of the shop owners, restaurant staff and the general community are still vivid memories because of the care and kindness they demonstrated towards me during my youth.

What have you learned through your involvement with Firecracker?

I've learned that we all love to eat and share meals together - food always makes us way more productive! I have also learned that great teamwork is the key to producing fun and successful events for over 9,000 participants. As a part of the Firecracker family, I have gained confidence that someone will always have my back - the Firecracker way.

Firecracker Fun Fact / My Perfect Day:

My most treasured Firecracker memory is the year I was the Refreshment Chair and had the privilege of volunteering with the senior ladies of the Chinatown Senior Service Center. I recall them showing up bright and early with their sleeves rolled up, eager and ready to support me in any way I needed. We instantly connected when they smiled and understood my horribly-broken, elementary Chinese that I slowly pieced together. I have gained eight additional "grandmas" who warms my heart and brings a smile to my face each time we meet.

My perfect day would start off in time with God. Then I would trek to the beach with my dogs and someone special. We would bike along the water and play volleyball/Spikeball...leading to the end of a perfect day by stuffing ourselves with boba teas, acai bowls and fish tacos.

SURPRISE! Registration for the Year of the Tiger 2022 Event is now OPEN.

Take an extra $5 OFF early registration with promo code "GOGETEM"

OFFER ENDS 8/8/21 11:59PM

https://runsignup.com/Race/CA/LosAngeles/LAChinatownFirecracker

We’re excited to make an announcement! After 43 years of being solely volunteer driven, Firecracker is hiring its first employee. We’re looking for a part-time (20 hours/week) Administrative Assistant to help the board as Firecracker continues to grow and expand. We are so thankful to our community for continuing to support us as we know this wouldn’t be possible without you!

This essential role will provide administrative support to an otherwise all-volunteer organization and will report to the Board of Directors. We're looking for a highly organized, independent self-starter! If you or anyone you know is interested in the position, please email your resume to [email protected].

This statue of Bruce Lee stands near the entrance to the Grand Star in Central Plaza. It commemorates the life of the martial artist, actor, director, and philosopher. After his death, Bruce Lee remains a popular culture icon who changed the perception of Asians in the United States and across the world through his crafts, especially through filmmaking. Asian representation in Hollywood has come a long way since the days of Lee, yet there is more progress to be made.

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month 2021

In celebration of the API Heritage Month in May, post a story or photos of your favorite API Heritage landmark with hashtag . It could be a place you visited before or in your usual Bike and Run route.

Don't forget to check out https://asianpacificheritage.gov/

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month 2021 Paying tribute to the generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders who have enriched America's history and are instrumental in its future success.

Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month: Explore LA Chinatown Central Plaza and Support A Local Restaurant.

Throughout each May, we honor Asian American Pacific Islanders and their immeasurable contributions. Today we highlight celebrated Chinese American chef and restaurateur Cecilia Chiang (1920-2020). In 1961, Chiang opened The Mandarin restaurant in San Francisco. She was recognized for her impacts on Chinese food throughout the world and she received the 2013 James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award.

A message from our Board

STR❤️NGER TOGETHER. 💪✊✌️

PC:

Happy International Women's Day! Let's celebrate all the incredibly strong women who motivate and inspire you! Today and every day. 🌎 💪💪🏻💪🏼💪🏽💪🏾💪🏿🌎
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Congrats to these incredible women for completing the this past weekend! It was so dope to be out there with everyone shooting this virtual race. Though it may not have been exactly like it was before, the feeling and atmosphere of those race day weekends was present that day. That energy you can only get from waking up early in the morning and toeing the line with your friends.
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A BIG THANK YOU to all of our participants, sponsors, and volunteers for your continued support in these challenging times!

As we long for the days when we can all safely gather with friends and family, we won’t soon forget 2020's greatest reminder: Tomorrow is never promised.  Don't take your health for granted. Don't take your body for granted. Do something today that communicates to your body that you desire to care for it.  You may never know when you may not have that chance again.

Wishing all an abundance of good health, wealth, and prosperity in the Year of the Ox! See you (in person) soon!

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.cc.now
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I really miss actual races, especially Firecracker. The check ins, the fireworks show, the dragon dance, and the finish line beers. I even miss the tough hilly course along Elysian itself. I miss marking people in my line of sight as benchmarks - trying to catch up with them to propel me faster. Even as we approach 1 year in this panny, I'm still determined to add the Ox medal to my collection. For anything else, I'll probably continue when the Tiger arrives.
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📸:

It's Medal Monday. Show us your bling! 🏅😍🏅

It's more than an event. It's community. ⛩️🏮❤️
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// Lookin' sharp, ! 👍✌️
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Sunday run day. 📸:

One is the cool things about having your kid go to school at Castelar in Chinatown is getting to be involved in traditions like the Chinese New Year parade and run.

Of course there was no parade because of the pandemic this time around, but the Year of the Ox 10K is carrying on virtually. T-shirts, numbers, and medals were mailed to participants who run whenever and wherever they can, and the annual event continues to raise money to help local causes.

Props to the Firecracker team for bringing people to Chinatown, building community, promoting good health, and always thinking of Castelar. They have been supporting Chinatown’s public school and its music program since before we joined, and this year they donated boxes of PPE masks as well.

We are glad to be able to do the run even in this weird time, and look forward to seeing the crew again in person with carbo-loaded plates of chow mein the day before, hundreds (thousands?) of strings of firecrackers at the starting line, a Castelar booth in the kiddie area, taiko drummers up Broadway, a killer hill at Chavez Ravine, and so many family and friends including Castelar teachers. And then dim sum afterward.

It doesn’t hurt that they always have the best shirts, too.

Gung hay fat choy, everyone! Be strong and run free like an ox!

This past year has challenged us in ways that we never could have imagined.

We're all trying to adapt and survive in our new environment, and it's hard. However, you're making it through, we see you and YOU'RE KICKING A$$!

It has been - and remains - our profound pleasure to serve you. Our heartfelt thanks for continuing to support this event and good wishes in the new year. We promise to see you (in person) soon! 🧨💥🤘
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was different this year, didn't have my running partner or our traditional picture in front of the kiddie run sign lol but at least I got to keep the streak going! Can't wait for next year 🐅🐯 and I will be ready!