If you can’t make it to Hong Kong to ring in the Chinese New Year don’t despair. Several cities throughout North America are hosting events and activities to celebrate the year of the Boar. This year Chinese New Year begins on February 18th and runs through March 4th. If you live in the United States you can leave your passport at home and enjoy the following parades and festivals in the following cities:
NEW YORK
What: Firecracker Ceremony & Cultural Festival
When: Sunday, February 18, 2007
Where: Chatham Square (Intersection of Bowery, Mott & East Broadway)
The event features all-day cultural performances by traditional and contemporary Asian-American singers and dancers. Plus, a dozen lion, dragon and unicorn dance troupes will march through Chinatown’s main streets. When the sun goes down the sky with light up with a gigantic fireworks display.
What: Illuminations: Lunar New Year Fireworks Spectacular
When: Sunday, February 18, 2007
Where: 7:00 pm in Columbus Park (Mulberry Street between Worth and Bayard Streets)
To ring in the New Year the skies above Chinatown will be illuminated with a colorful and spectacular fireworks display by the Grucci Brothers of July 4th fame.
What: 8th Annual Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade & Festival
When: Sunday, February 25, 2007
Where: Chinatown, Canal Street South
The annual parade features elaborate floats, marching bands, lion and dragon dances galore, Asian musicians, magicians, and Chinese acrobats. Look for more than 5,000 people to march in the parade, which will start at Mott Street and wind through practically every street in of Chinatown. When the parade ends head over to the outdoor cultural festival, which will take place on Bayard Street and feature more performances by musicians, dancers and martial artists.
SAN FRANCISCO
What: San Francisco: Southwest Airlines Chinese New Year Parade
When: Saturday, March 3, 2007
Where: Chinatown
This giant illuminated night parade has been a tradition since just after the Gold Rush. It includes elaborate floats, martial arts, stilt walkers, lion dancers, acrobatics, 201-ft.-long Golden Dragon (“Gum Lung”), and exploding firecrackers.
SEATTLE
What: Seattle Lunar New Year Celebration
When: Saturday, February 17 2007
Where: Union Station Great Hall, 401 South Jackson Street in Seattle’s Chinatown/International District
The festival includes lion dances, dragon dance performances, live cultural performances, children’s activities, arts & crafts, and a food court.
HONOLULU
What: City and County of Honolulu’s Month of Chinatown
Visitors to Oahu will have a chance to take in a month’s worth of events leading up to Chinese New Year including: The 58th Narcissus Festival (Feb. 16); Chinatown Open House (Feb. 16, 17); and The Night in Chinatown Festival and Parade (Feb. 17), which features Chinese cuisine, Chinese singing and dancing, feng shui presentations, martial arts demonstrations, arts and crafts booths, Chinese fortune readings and acrobats.
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