Lunar New Year 4709, the Year of the Rabbit (or the Cat if you are in Vietnam), began last week and yesterday was the big parade in Chinatown. An estimated 60,000 people came out to watch 4,000 dancers, musicians and others (including Grand Marshal Senator Charles Schumer) march. A few of our readers were there and sent in these shots. Were you there too? Tag any of your photos with "gothamist" on Flickr or send them to photos@gothamist.com and we'll add the best as the day progresses.
Photos: Hopping Parade Rings in Lunar New Year 4709
Tomorrow is Chinatown's Lunar New Year Parade
Tomorrow, you can celebrate the Year of the Ox by heading to Chinatown for the annual Lunar New Year Parade. It starts at noon or 1 p.m. (Explore Chinatown says the former, Better Chinatown Society the latter)—and you might as well go early and get dim sum!— the route begins at Mott & Hester Streets, going down Mott Street to Chatham Square, E. Broadway and Chrystie Street. There's also a cultural festival starting at 11:30 a.m. at Grand & Chrystie Street. Gong hei fat choi!
Elsewhere in the Ist-a-Verse
href="http://londonist.com/2008/02/air_bound.php"> remove one man from Gatwick.
Extra, Extra
- Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: An unusual odor in the Bronx, two pedestrians struck (one in Manhattan, a fatal one in the Bronx), and three alarm fire at a tire yard in Brooklyn
- The Department of Education will reinstate 17 bus routes, finally realizing that giving 5-year-olds MetroCards is a very mean lesson
- We're so with East Village Idiot on this one:
- Weird: In a story about the doctor who police believe was attacked in his Upper East Side triplex, a neighbor tells the Daily News, "There was a suspicious guy who came a few times in the last six months. I told the police about him. They told me not to speak about it."
- New and expecting parents: ModernTots in Dumbo is having a sample sale this weekend!
- Busta Rhymes was busted for driving without his license in TriBeCa; he told the cops, "You hide behind the shield. This is bulls---." Then he told the judge he thought the cops were robbers in disguise.
- Representative Anthony Weiner may run for Mayor in 2009; so far, other suspects include City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and City Comptroller William Thompson
- And if you're planning ahead, this Sunday is Chinatown's Chinese New Year Parade
Chinese New Year in Chinatown? Bring Earplugs
While Chinatown's annual Chinese New Year Parade won't be until next weekend, there are still plenty of activities to celebrate the year 4705. If you're heading to Chinatown tomorrow (New Year's Day), be sure to head over to Chatham Square (the intersection of Bowery, Mott and East Broadway) for the New Year’s Day Firecracker Ceremony & Cultural Festival. For the first time since the city banned fireworks (and firecrackers), there will be firecrackers in Chinatown. A "controlled" display of 300,000 firecrackers will go off in Chatham Square between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. We can honestly say that you haven't experienced a Chinese New Year until your ears ring from firecrackers. Sunday's events don't stop with the firecrackers either. There will also be fireworks in Chinatown's Columbus Park (Mulberry and Baxter Street)at 7 p.m. The fireworks display will reportedly reach 10 stories high.
The Year of the Dog Fashion
Yesterday's Chinese New Year Parade brought out revelers of all colors - and species. As you can see from various photographs, dogs were celebrated, this being their year and all. While Gothamist loved seeing dogs wearing traditional Chinese dress (just $25.99!), we wonder if dogs really like to wear dresses and jackets like this. If any dog owners have put a qi pao on their dog, let us know, because it seems difficult.

