Five Ways To Celebrate The Lunar New Year In NYC

The streets of Chinatown in Manhattan, Flushing in Queens, and Sunset Park in Brooklyn are teeming with Chinese New Year celebrations. Once again this year, millions of Chinese will usher in The Year of the Sheep with midnight snacks, toasts, and fireworks. There's no better place to celebrate the most important and longest holiday in Chinese culture than New York City.

As part of its Neighborhood x Neighborhood feature, NYC & Co is highlighting Chinatown, Flushing, and Sunset Parks as the go-to destinations to experience the traditions of the Lunar New Year here in New York City.

Here are just some ways to join the Lunar New Year festivities this year.

The Flushing Lunar New Year Parade and Festival

In its 19th year, the Flushing Lunar New Year Parade and Festival celebration takes place at 11 a.m. on February 21. Festivities include a parade, music, fireworks, dancers and more.

Experience Chinatown's Lunar New Year Parade

The following day, on February 22, Chinatown's annual Lunar New Year Parade starts at 1 p.m. and features vendors, food and festivities.

Eat your way through Sunset Park.

From Fujianese cuisine at Mister Hotpot and Szechuan specialties at Metro Cafe to dim sum at Pacificana and Vietnamese dishes at ba xuyên, there is no shortage of noteworthy Asian restaurants. Make your way down to the neighborhood's namesake, Sunset Park, and take in the views of the East River with views of Statue of Liberty and Manhattan's skyline.

Eat Your Way through Flushing

There are several bakeries and restaurants serving authentic Asian cuisine in Flushing—from breakfast at Tai Pan Bakery to lunch at Ajisen Ramen to dinner at Mulan.

Eat Your Way Through Chinatown

Experience why so many New Yorkers and visitors head to Chinatown. Stop atJing Fong, a traditional Cantonese restaurant offering dim sum; Joe's Shanghai's extensive menu includes their famed soup dumplings; and Nom Wah Tea Parlor is NYC's oldest dim sum parlor.Here,visitors can also make their way to the the Museum of Chinese in America, which tells the story of Chinese-Americans in the United States. They can also stock up on Chinese medicine at Kamwo Herbal Pharmacy, one of the oldest and largest herbal pharmacies in the country, or Chinese sweets and savories at Aji Ichiban.