Brooklyn to celebrate the Year of the Rooster during Lunar New Year

Ring in the Lunar New Year, Brooklyn style!

On Saturday, January 28, the borough will celebrate the Year of the Rooster, ushering in a variety of fun events that the whole family will enjoy.

Sunset Park’s Recreation Center at Seventh Avenue and 43^rd Street, will hold its annual celebration on Saturday, January 28 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. As in the past, the event will feature a performance of the lion dance, raffles, singing, martial arts, music, Chinese crafts and calligraphy and children activities.

The Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) and Apple Bank are collaborating to celebrate the 2017 Chinese New Year as well with events at three different library branches that will highlight traditional Chinese music, opera and dance.

On Saturday, January 28 at 12 p.m.,  at the New Utrecht library branch, 1743 86th Street, the BPL and Apple Bank will present a program that explores Chinese traditional music on Guzheng (21-string zither) and Chinese opera with excerpts from some of the famous productions including “Farewell My Concubine,” “Peony Pavilion” and “Monkey King.”  Participants can demonstrate their dancing skills with the Ribbon Dance and Lion Dance.

The program will be in English and in Mandarin Chinese.

Similar programs will be held at the BPL Sunset Park branch library, 5108 Fourth Avenue, on Friday, February 3 at 4 p.m. and at the McKinley branch, 6802 Fort Hamilton Parkway on Saturday, February 4 at 1 p.m.

One of the highlights of the celebration each year is the Brooklyn Chinese-American Association’s (BCAA) Annual New Year Celebration Parade.

This year, on Sunday, January 29, starting 11 a.m., the festivities will begin at the grandstand at Eighth Avenue and 50^th Street, with performances and cultural activities. Then at noon, the opening ceremony celebration will begin. Community leaders as well as public and elected officials will be in attendance to give remarks and greetings, immediately followed by a spectacular fireworks display, a traditional lion dance, a Kung-Fu demonstration, and performances by children in public school and day care programs.

Then at 1 p.m., the Head Lion and VIP guests, followed by marching teams, will lead the parade along the Eighth Avenue commercial strip. At 2:30 p.m., the parade will terminate at 61^st street and the lions will proceed to dance in front of each store to bring good luck and fortune to the community.

A whopping 50,000 spectators are expected to attend the celebration.

“Since 1988, the Annual Chinese New Year Celebration Parade has been bringing in the richness of the Chinese culture to the borough of Brooklyn as well as promoting unity among neighborhoods,” the BCAA said in a statement.

Two weeks later, State Senator Marty Golden will host his annual Lunar New York event at New Utrecht High School, 1601 80th Street, on Sunday, February 12 from 2 to 5 p.m.

“Senator Golden looks forward to celebrating the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Rooster, with a special event planned that will showcase traditional Asian culture,” said John Quaglione, spokesperson for Golden. “Those who attend will be treated to cultural entertainment performed by our local school children and theater groups, as well as the traditional performance of the lion dance.”

Finally, on Saturday, February 18, the Prospect Park Zoo, 450 Flatbush Avenue, will  host its Lunar Year of the Rooster celebration. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Chinese-themed activities will take place including a Zodiac scavenger hunt, crafts and puppet performances by the Chinese Theatre Works. In addition, children can learn about how the Wildlife Conservation Society is saving wildlife throughout Asia.