New York City-Chinatown-2/3/11: There will be a Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival taking place at Roosevelt Park, which is between Grand Street and Hester Street., from 11AM-3:30PM. Firecrackers are send to ward off evil spirits but it will be loud! That'll be followed by dancers dressed up in traditional dragon and lion costumes. After that, you can check out the local markets that supply fresh fish, meat, and vegetables. You can also expect to see various performances throughout the day on different notable streets like Mott St., Elizabeth St., East Broadway, and Bowery.
New York City-Chinatown-2/6/11: Actual New Years Day is a weekday so if you can't make it out, don't fret because there is a part two to the celebrations. The 12th Annual Chinese Lunar New Year Parade and Festival takes place this Sunday(be careful of the dates) from 11AM-4PM. This is the main event. There will be dancers, magicians, huge floats, marching bands, acrobats, and showcases by local organizations. Even the Navy and firefighters get in on the act! Chinatown will be decorated all over with banners and flags that say gōng xǐ fā cái (it varies with native tongue), which roughly translates to "Congratulations and be prosperous" or "May prosperity be with you". The town will be reverberating with the sounds of the parade as it makes its way through nearly every street. Expect a larger crowd though.
(Tidbit: If you didn't know, red and gold are the colors used to celebrate. You can give out small red envelopes with gold writing filled with money to people as a gift. Other common gifts are dried scallops, large mushrooms, and ginseng.)
More information about these two events here.r New Year Parade in Manhattan's Chinatown
Roosevelt Park - Between Grand Street and Hester Street, NYC
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