Chinese Lantern Festival showcases a celebration of giving thanks

Cultural acceptance paves the way to celebration.

On Sunday, October 18, Leif Ericson Park, located on 66th Street between Fourth Avenue and Fort Hamilton Parkway was the site of the Chinese Lantern Festival. The moon festival is one of the most important traditional events in the Chinese culture. It is celebrated to giving thanks for all that participants have, and took the form of a parade that ran from 66th to 50th street.

State Senator Marty Golden’s staff organized the event. Golden’s Asian liaison Katie Wong described the event as “happy, with a lot of people.” Wong noted that the Vietnamese Cultural Center also participated in the parade, and that overall the festival brought out over 5,000 people.

Wong said that those in attendance dressed in traditional Chinese opera fashion, while some marched in sashes, holding cultural flags. Those who came out to support the cause enjoyed fun festivities like face painting, a cotton candy machine, balloons and a visit from Ronald McDonald, with Golden passing out coins to celebrate the Year of the Ram. The parade also included old-fashioned cars and floats sponsored by AT&T and Western Union, Wong said.

BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photos by SB News