Despina “Peppie” Schrader has been named the 2026 Bok Kai Parade Grand Marshal in recognition of her decades of leadership, volunteerism and service to the Marysville community. Photo courtesy of the Marysville Chinese Community

MARYSVILLE, CA (MPG) - The Bok Kai Parade & Festival Committee has announced the community members who will serve as ambassador and grand marshal for the 2026 Bok Kai celebration, honoring both youth leadership and decades of civic service.

Taegen Jung, a 17-year-old senior at Marysville High School, has been named the 2026 Bok Kai Ambassador, becoming only the second male to hold the title in the festival’s history. Traditionally, the role has been known as the “Bok Kai Hostess,” a position historically held by young women who represent the festival and participate in community events throughout the celebration.

Jung is active in school athletics and plans to attend college after graduation while continuing to pursue baseball alongside his academic goals. His ties to the Marysville community run deep. His mother, Christy (Escheman) Jung, is a lifelong Marysville resident and Marysville High alumna, while his father, Randal Jung, who is Chinese, grew up in Madeira before relocating to the Marysville area.

Continuing a family connection to the festival, Jung’s sister, Meah Jung, served as Bok Kai Hostess in 2022. According to festival organizers, Jung views the role as both an honor and an opportunity to represent his hometown and the region’s cultural heritage.

Taegen Jung, a senior at Marysville High School, has been named the 2026 Bok Kai Ambassador. Jung becomes only the second male to hold the title, which was traditionally known as the Bok Kai Hostess. Photo courtesy of the Marysville Chinese Community

The committee also announced longtime Marysville community leader Despina “Peppie” Schrader as the 2026 Bok Kai Parade Grand Marshal. Schrader, who was born in Richmond but raised in Marysville, has spent decades contributing to local civic and cultural organizations. Greek was her first language, and she later mastered English while growing up in the area. She graduated from Marysville High School in 1965 and later married her husband, Donald Schrader. Together they raised two daughters and now have five grandchildren.

Schrader is perhaps best known locally for her entrepreneurial venture, Penny Lane Confections, which she opened in downtown Marysville in 1988 alongside her sister. The shop became a beloved downtown destination and reflected her commitment to supporting the vitality of the historic district.

Her civic leadership extends well beyond business. Schrader served for 12 years leading the Bok Kai Parade & Festival Committee and has spent more than two decades as president of the Mary Aaron Museum, where she helped guide the museum’s growth and preservation efforts. For more than 30 years she has also been a member of the Marysville Kiwanis Club, helping organize community events such as the Ellis Lake Fishing Derby, Hogs & Hulas, back-to-school shopping drives and the Bringing Up Grades program.

The Bok Kai Festival, one of California’s oldest Chinese New Year celebrations, highlights Marysville’s historic Chinatown and the region’s longstanding Chinese cultural heritage. Festivities begin Friday evening, March 20, with the Bok Kai Ambassador Reception at the Marysville Banquet Hall, featuring a traditional Chinese dinner, Teng Fei Lion Dancers and gift presentations honoring this year’s ambassador. Tickets and tables are available online at www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/annual-gala-2028.

The celebration continues Saturday, March 21, with the 146th annual Bok Kai Parade beginning at 11 a.m. at Sixth and D streets. Weekend events conclude Sunday, March 22, with a rib cook-off competition, car show, live music and the traditional “Firing of the Rings” ceremony in Marysville’s historic Chinatown.

For more information, contact the Marysville Chinese Community at [email protected].