It may be the Year of the Ox, but folks turned out by the thousands yesterday in Chinatown to see the dragon.

By 4 p.m. they were lined up on Hotel Street along the curbs, on blankets, at bus stops, on benches, kids on dads' shoulders, babes in arms, in strollers, people on walkers, in wheelchairs.

Jordan and Christy Kanoe of 'Ewa Beach had brought 10 members of their family. They come every year "to see the dragons," Christy said.

People wore T-shirts that said, "Eat first, ask questions later."

On Maunakea Street, people chowed down on corn on the cob, fried rice, egg rolls, pineapple, watermelon, mango, barbecue, bananas, Okinawan donuts, tangerines, rice and bean cake, red popcorn, coconuts, fortune cookies, candy and octopus.

"It's takoyaki," said Roy Nishimura, who was hawking fried octopus balls to all comers. Very popular in Osaka. The octopus was fried with a batter of green onion, ginger and tempura flakes and a sweet sauce.

It was quite chewy and very tasty. So said Maria Zion of Colombia, South America, who appeared to be a gourmand in the squid department.

How does a girl from Colombia end up at Maunakea and Hotel munching squid as people swarm by yelling "Kung hee fat choy"?

"I met this guy in Miami and married him," she said, pointing at Ken Zion, a military man stationed at Camp Smith.

Shortly after 4 p.m., the beauty queens, kung fu artists, veterans, politicos and members of benevolent societies marched briskly down Hotel Street, many of them wearing red horns to symbolize the Year of the Ox, and the crowd went nuts.

There were Little Miss Chinatowns in pink and lavender gowns and tiny tiaras waving shyly from the back of Corvettes. They generated considerable enthusiasm. There were more grownup Miss Chinatowns in very high heels, slit skirts, elbow-length gloves and grander tiaras who generated even more enthusiasm.

The mayor strolled by to shouts and cheers, head to toe in black.

The Farrington High School ROTC drill team was led by a petite girl in a green beret who wore more medals than General Grant. The Royal Hawaiian Band blared out "This is My Country" and throaty cheers rang out from every inch of sidewalk.

There was a great beating of drums, clanging of cymbals and ringing of bells.

Dragons abounded.

There were diminutive dragons that hardly seemed 3 feet tall, and fiercer creatures that appeared to be a half-block long.

When they came snaking down the street, the little children jumped up and down shouting, "Dragon! Dragon!"

A group of little girls at Smith and Hotel had a wonderful time pretending to be terrified.

Eric Kennington, a Navy man stationed at Pearl Harbor, was there with his 18-month-old son Tristen. What was Tristen enjoying most?

"The general chaos," Eric said.