Saturday, Jan 25, 2020, is the start of the Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year. Manhattan’s Chinatown neighborhood is home to one of the highest concentrations of Chinese in the Western Hemisphere, and New York puts on an outstanding annual celebration.
In traditional Chinese culture, each year is a given animal (in 12-year cycles) whose traits help determine the fate of the year and that passes on its characteristics to those born in that year. 2020 marks the transition from the Year of the Pig to the Year of the Rat and entails 15 days of celebrations. In the Chinese zodiac, rats are seen as symbols of wealth and surplus.
We’ve culled a selection of some of the best events happening in New York for Lunar New Year.
New Year’s Day Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival
This iconic New York event kicks off Lunar New Year’s celebrations on January 25. The festivities start around 11:00 am but the main event, the firecrackers, will start at noon. The plethora of firecrackers paper the town with a rainbow of colored confetti and light up the streets with sparkling bangs. According to Chinse folklore, firecrackers give an auspicious start to the new year, casting out bad spirits. The streets around Sara D. Roosevelt Park are packed with larger than life dragons and vibrant, dancing lions, among other colorful characters. Vendors are on hand selling delicious Chinese foods, including dumplings and sticky buns.
Tuesday, January 25, 2020 – 11:00 am to 3:30 pm,
Firecracker kick-off at 12:00 noon
Sara D. Roosevelt Park
Grand & Chrystie St.
New York, NY 10002
Lunar New Year Parade and Festival
Bundle up and brave the February weather for the most popular event in the Chinese New Year celebrations. The Lunar New Year Parade and Festival is a delightfully lengthy parade that winds its way through the streets of Chinatown and neighboring Little Italy. The parade is overflowing with dancers, marching bands, lions, dragons, acrobats and more. Suggested viewing locations are at East Broadway or by Grand Street / Sara Roosevelt Park.
Sunday, February 9, 2020
The parade begins at 1 pm
Parade route: Mott & Canal to Chatham Square to East Broadway towards the Manhattan Bridge, completing on Eldridge and Forsyth Streets towards Grand Street next to Sara D. Roosevelt Park.
The New York Philharmonic Lunar New Year Concert
For the ninth year in a row, the New York Philharmonic will put on its Lunar New Year Concert. Each year the Philharmonic plays music with a nod to the Lunar New Year and Chinese culture. This year marks the US Premiere of Zhou Tian’s Gift, the New York Premiere of Texu Kim’s Spin-Flip, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, for piano and orchestra, and a violin concerto of The Butterfly Lovers by Chen Gang and He Zhanhao.
Tuesday, January 28, 2020, 7:30 pm
Lincoln Center
West 65th Street
New York, NY 10023
https://nyphil.org/concerts-tickets/Tickets/pickyourown?Perf=4912
Model Majority Lunar New Year Show
Get ready to laugh in the Year of the Rat with the PIT’s sketch comedy show, Model Majority. Model Majority is New York’s first all Asian-American sketch comedy team. Members have been on SNL, Comedy Central, and other popular shows. The comedy sketches are known for their fast-moving and witty repartee. The team will be putting on a special show for the Lunar New Year.
Saturday, February 1, 2020
The Pit
123 E 24th st
New York, NY 10010
https://thepit-nyc.com/events/model-majority-2nd-annual-lunar-new-year-show/
Lunar New Year Celebration at the Queens Botanic Garden
Ring in the Year of the Rat at Queens Botanic Garden with crafts, performances, and activities perfect for the whole family. Purchase one of the Garden’s lucky jade plants to keep the good vibes coming all year long.
Saturday, January 25, 2020, 12 to 4 pm
Queens Botanic Garden
43-50 Main St
Flushing, NY 11355
Lung Moon Bakery
If you’d like to sample some traditional Lunar New Year treats, look no further than Lung Moon Bakery in Manhattan’s Chinatown neighborhood. Lung Moon Bakery is one of Manhattan’s longest-standing Chinese bakeries. It is known for its delicious pineapple bun, a lightly sweetened bun topped with the perfect crunchy mix of flour, sugar, and egg yolk. Each year Lung Moon serves Lunar New Year treats such as sweet Nian Gao (sticky rice cakes), fried sesame balls with red bean paste, and egg custard tarts. The Bakery is lauded for its authentic baked goods and fair prices (cash only.)
Lung Moon Bakery
81 Mulberry St
New York, NY 10013
(212) 349-4945
Staying in New York City – About The Lombardy Hotel
The Lombardy Hotel is just as iconic to Midtown Manhattan as many of the other historic and cultural attractions in the area. Not only are our rooms comfortable and tasteful, we provide amenities such as a full salon, coffee shop, and exercise room. We also host the American Cut Midtown steakhouse, perfect for a business lunch or dinner on a special occasion. We look forward to hosting you.
