Chinese New Year 2025 in New York

The streets are covered in confetti, people dress in red and gold with beautifully painted faces or masks, and the rhythmic sounds of drums and bells echo all around, announcing the appearance of huge dragons scattered throughout Chinatown. This is what the Chinese New Year looks like in New York. The celebration of this holiday is both visually and atmospherically impressive. The street parties, with vendors selling great Chinese food, different performances, music, firecrackers, and entertainment for all ages, last for almost two weeks.

Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade (January 29, 2025)

The main Chinatown Lunar New Year event in NYC is the vibrant parade, with massive floats decorated with Chinese New Year ornaments, thrilling lion dances, and dazzling firecrackers. Performers in elaborate lion costumes shake the intricate attire, entertaining crowds of spectators. Adding to the spectacle are the dragon dancers, hidden beneath a stunning costume of this creature, performing the mesmerizing and synchronized dragon dance. Some attendees try to touch the dragons, believing that this might bring fortune and luck in the coming year.

Route & Schedule

Taking place along the main streets of Little Italy and Chinatown, the Lunar New Year parade kicks off at 1 pm. The route usually lies through Mott & Canal Streets, Chatham Square, East Broadway, and Manhattan Bridge, finishing on Eldridge and Forsyth Streets, next to Sara D. Roosevelt Park. The event is free to watch, but consider arriving in advance to get front-row spots. Parking is quite limited in Chinatown as it is, so expect to either find a parking spot in one of the parking garages nearby or choose public transportation to get to the event.

Lunar New Year Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival (February 16, 2025)

Festivities continue with a cultural festival at Sara D. Roosevelt Park on Grand Street, Chinatown. The Better Chinatown Society hosts both the parade and the festival. The festivities include setting off breathtaking firecrackers, dancing together with the lion dancers, and watching mesmerizing fireworks launch into the sky above Chinatown. Firecrackers are believed to scare off evil spirits, and dragons bring good luck in the upcoming year. The celebration, which spans from 11 am to 3 pm, features colorful performances and vendors.