On January 29th, known as the first day of the Lunar New Year, Chinatown in New York City was filled with a festive atmosphere. The streets reverberated with the sound of drums as crowds gathered to watch lion dances and enjoy the fireworks. People of different ethnicities, both adults and children, flocked to Mott Street to celebrate the arrival of the new year. It was a day of unity and joy as New Yorkers joined together to celebrate the traditional Chinese Lunar New Year.
Midday at 12:30 pm, the Zhu Chaoran Lion Dance troupe performed in front of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, accompanied by lively drumbeats, celebrating the new year with the community. Following that, various overseas Chinese associations and the Economic and Cultural Office in New York held traditional celebration ceremonies.
Around 1 pm, the celebration officially kicked off at the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association hall. Officials from various levels of New York State delivered speeches and presented awards to recognize contributions to the community.
Zhu Chaoran, representing the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, along with other major overseas Chinese associations, expressed gratitude for the support from the community and officials. He highlighted the cultural significance of Chinese New Year, emphasizing the traditions of reunion dinners, exchanging blessings, posting couplets, and setting off fireworks to celebrate the new year. As the Year of the Snake, symbolizing wisdom and transformation, he expressed his hopes for continued efforts to reopen Park Row, revive the local economy, and enhance public safety in the new year.
The Director of the New York Economic and Cultural Office, Li Zhiqiang, expressed gratitude to the Chinatown overseas Chinese associations and conveyed Taiwan government’s appreciation for the steadfast support from the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association and major overseas Chinese associations. He wished for the prosperity and stability of the Chinatown overseas Chinese associations.
Congressman Daniel Goldman hoped to ensure that the voice of Chinatown is heard in Washington. He announced plans to collaborate with Congressman Meng Zhaowen to advocate for legislation making Chinese New Year a national holiday, pledging to unite all sectors to combat all forms of hatred.
New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli commended Chinatown as a significant economic pillar of New York City and praised the contributions of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association to the community’s development, particularly in the recovery efforts following 9/11 and the pandemic.
Mark Levine, the Manhattan Borough President, emphasized the irreplaceable cultural and historical value of Chinatown. He promised to safeguard Chinatown’s unique status against the impact of overly concentrated social service facilities, pledging to work hand in hand with the community to preserve Chinatown’s distinctiveness.
Jumaane Williams, the New York City Public Advocate, extended New Year blessings to the Chinese community and pledged full support for cultural celebration activities. He especially thanked “Mayor of Chinatown” Zhu Chaoran and presented an award to the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, recognizing their outstanding contributions to the community over the past 140 years.
State Senator Brian Kavanaugh shared that he, along with Li Rongen and others, successfully advocated for designating Chinese New Year as a statutory holiday in all public schools in the state. This ensures that students do not have to choose between academic studies and cultural traditions.
Assemblyman Li Rongen stated that the formal enactment of this legislation is historic, making New York the first state in the U.S. to designate the Chinese Lunar New Year as a public school holiday.
Assemblywoman Jennifer Rajkumar, Deputy Director of Community Affairs at the Mayor’s Office Gu Yameng, Chief of Staff of Assemblyman William Colton He Lining, Council Member Christopher Marte, Council Member Carolyn Zhuang, and Craig Nelson, Chief of Police for the 5th Precinct, all extended New Year greetings to the Chinese community.
Chinatown was adorned with colorful decorations, echoing drumbeats, and the continuous crackling of fireworks, attracting a large number of residents and tourists to join in the celebration. Mott Street was packed with people from early in the morning, with individuals of various ethnic backgrounds coming together to celebrate the traditional Chinese New Year.
Ms. Huang, a Chinatown resident, and her friends celebrated on the streets by lighting firecrackers. She joyfully expressed, “I hope the new year will be better and better,” and emphasized the importance of maintaining traditional celebratory practices in today’s world dominated by social media and short videos, as Chinese culture is profound and vast.
Mr. Qiu from Fuzhou and Mr. Zhao joined the festivities, expressing their delight in experiencing the strong New Year atmosphere in Chinatown. Mr. Qiu found it very enjoyable to celebrate the new year in a traditional way with everyone, while Mr. Zhao reminisced about the New Year customs in their hometown, emphasizing the significance of eating rice cakes on the first day of the new year for prosperity.
This year, New York State officially designated Chinese New Year as a holiday in public schools for the first time. Many parents of different ethnicities brought their children to Chinatown to experience the festive atmosphere. Julie and her family from Brooklyn happily set off fireworks on Mott Street, sharing that it was their third time celebrating in Chinatown and each time their children were filled with excitement. She expressed, “I hope my children can embrace different cultures, beliefs, and communities. We love this New Year celebration.”