New Year’s Day Firecracker Ceremony & Cultural Festival
Sunday, February 14th, 2010 from 11am to 3pm
Sara Roosevelt Park
Grand and Chrystie Sts.
New York City
Cost: Free
For all ages
February 14th marks the first day of the 2010 Lunar New Year, which will be kicked off with 600,000 rounds of colorful firecrackers, prepared by highly trained detonation specialists, a traditional Lunar New Year practice believed to scare away evil spirits. Expected attendees include local politicians, community leaders and dignitaries. After opening ceremonies, a dozen Lion, Dragon and Unicorn dance troupes will march down the main streets of Chinatown (Mott, Bowery, East Broadway, Bayard, Elizabeth, and Pell) to help ring in the New Year. A massive festival will be in the heart of Chinatown that will feature all-day cultural performances by traditional and contemporary Asian and Asian-American signers and dancers, along with promotional booths.
Last year close to 500,000 people attended the Firecracker Celebration and Parade celebrating the Lunar New Year,” said Steven Tin. “The crowds have grown in size each of the past eight years, and this year, with good weather, we believe the crowds might exceed 550,000. We will have the biggest parade ever and the firecracker celebration will be the most impressive in recent years.
The traditional Firecracker Celebration—so important to Asian cultures all over the world—had been cancelled during the Giuliani administration because of safety precautions. However, in the aftermath of 9/11, Mayor Giuliani rescinded the ban and the Firecracker Celebration once again became an integral part of the Lunar New Year Celebration in New York City starting with the Year of the Horse in 2002.
This year, for the Sixth successive year, the Better Chinatown Society has engaged the world renowned Fireworks by Grucci organization to design and execute the traditional Firecracker Ceremony where 500,000 one-inch firecrackers will be detonated during a noisy five-minute display of rapid explosions creating a wall of smoke and fire aimed at chasing off evil spirits of the past year.
Prior to the firecracker detonations, many city, state and community leaders will welcome the Lunar New Year at a ceremony that will be held on a stage to be erected on Columbus Park. The ceremony will also feature performances by traditional Chinese Opera singers and the participation of at least a dozen colorful Lion Dance groups from all over the metropolitan area who will perform in front of the stage as part of the traditional ceremony. The Lion Dancers will later wind their way through the streets of Chinatown stopping at local businesses and restaurants where they will receive traditional holiday red envelopes containing good luck Lunar New Year money. At the conclusion of the Firecracker ceremony, a number of traditional Asian musical groups and contemporary pop groups will perform on stage until 2:30 PM.
February 14th marks the first day of the 2010 Lunar New Year, which will be kicked off with 600,000 rounds of colorful firecrackers, prepared by highly trained detonation specialists, a traditional Lunar New Year practice believed to scare away evil spirits. Expected attendees include local politicians, community leaders and dignitaries. After opening ceremonies, a dozen Lion, Dragon and Unicorn dance troupes will march down the main streets of Chinatown (Mott, Bowery, East Broadway, Bayard, Elizabeth, and Pell) to help ring in the New Year. A massive festival will be in the heart of Chinatown that will feature all-day cultural performances by traditional and contemporary Asian and Asian-American signers and dancers, along with promotional booths.
Last year close to 500,000 people attended the Firecracker Celebration and Parade celebrating the Lunar New Year,” said Steven Tin. “The crowds have grown in size each of the past eight years, and this year, with good weather, we believe the crowds might exceed 550,000. We will have the biggest parade ever and the firecracker celebration will be the most impressive in recent years.
The traditional Firecracker Celebration—so important to Asian cultures all over the world—had been cancelled during the Giuliani administration because of safety precautions. However, in the aftermath of 9/11, Mayor Giuliani rescinded the ban and the Firecracker Celebration once again became an integral part of the Lunar New Year Celebration in New York City starting with the Year of the Horse in 2002.
This year, for the Sixth successive year, the Better Chinatown Society has engaged the world renowned Fireworks by Grucci organization to design and execute the traditional Firecracker Ceremony where 500,000 one-inch firecrackers will be detonated during a noisy five-minute display of rapid explosions creating a wall of smoke and fire aimed at chasing off evil spirits of the past year.
Prior to the firecracker detonations, many city, state and community leaders will welcome the Lunar New Year at a ceremony that will be held on a stage to be erected on Columbus Park. The ceremony will also feature performances by traditional Chinese Opera singers and the participation of at least a dozen colorful Lion Dance groups from all over the metropolitan area who will perform in front of the stage as part of the traditional ceremony. The Lion Dancers will later wind their way through the streets of Chinatown stopping at local businesses and restaurants where they will receive traditional holiday red envelopes containing good luck Lunar New Year money. At the conclusion of the Firecracker ceremony, a number of traditional Asian musical groups and contemporary pop groups will perform on stage until 2:30 PM.
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The 11th Lunar New Year Parade & Festival 2010
The 11th Lunar New Year Parade & Festival 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010 from 11:30am to 4pm
Location: Starts at Little Italy and goes through the main streets of Lower Manhattan/Chinatown
Cultural Festival & Booth: Sara Roosevelt Park (Canal & Forsyth St)
One block from major subway system, next to Manhattan Bridge, nearby all out of town buses, and surrounded by major market place.
Cost: Free
Location: Starts at Little Italy and goes through the main streets of Lower Manhattan/Chinatown
Cultural Festival & Booth: Sara Roosevelt Park (Canal & Forsyth St)
One block from major subway system, next to Manhattan Bridge, nearby all out of town buses, and surrounded by major market place.
Cost: Free
For all ages
A colorful spectacle featuring floats, marching bands, lion and dragon dancers, antique cars, beauty queens, Asian & Hispanic musical performers, magicians and acrobats, and local organizations. The floats will feature various cultural performances and special guests. Over 3,000 individuals will march in the Parade, which will span every major street in Chinatown. This is the biggest winter parade in the East Coast and a national and international tourist attraction. Elected officials, celebrities and community leaders are scheduled to take part in the Parade, which will be covered by local, national and international media. An outdoor cultural festival will take place at the Sara Roosevelt Park by Canal St & Forsyth St that will feature booths and performances by musicians, dancers, and martial artists.
To celebrate our 11th year- we have plans for more exciting cultural and artistic entertainment.
Estimated Attendance: 400,000
On Sunday, February 21th, the 11th Annual Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade will step off at 11:30am from the corner of Mott and Hester Streets and wind its way through the major streets of Chinatown, including Mott Street, East Broadway, Forsyth or Allen Streets and Grand Street. One of the most popular events of the year in New York City, this colorful parade with many colorful floats, marching bands and Lion and Dragon Dancers, form what Time Out Magazine recently called “New York City’s Most Underrated Parade.” The recommended viewing location for the Parade is on Allen Street between Canal and Grand Streets.
A colorful spectacle featuring floats, marching bands, lion and dragon dancers, antique cars, beauty queens, Asian & Hispanic musical performers, magicians and acrobats, and local organizations. The floats will feature various cultural performances and special guests. Over 3,000 individuals will march in the Parade, which will span every major street in Chinatown. This is the biggest winter parade in the East Coast and a national and international tourist attraction. Elected officials, celebrities and community leaders are scheduled to take part in the Parade, which will be covered by local, national and international media. An outdoor cultural festival will take place at the Sara Roosevelt Park by Canal St & Forsyth St that will feature booths and performances by musicians, dancers, and martial artists.
To celebrate our 11th year- we have plans for more exciting cultural and artistic entertainment.
Estimated Attendance: 400,000
On Sunday, February 21th, the 11th Annual Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade will step off at 11:30am from the corner of Mott and Hester Streets and wind its way through the major streets of Chinatown, including Mott Street, East Broadway, Forsyth or Allen Streets and Grand Street. One of the most popular events of the year in New York City, this colorful parade with many colorful floats, marching bands and Lion and Dragon Dancers, form what Time Out Magazine recently called “New York City’s Most Underrated Parade.” The recommended viewing location for the Parade is on Allen Street between Canal and Grand Streets.
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For a great map of Chinatown, go to:
For a Chinatown/Soho/Lower East Side subway map, go to:
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