Brooklyn ready to celebrate the Year of the Pig during Lunar New Year

Ringing in the Lunar New Year, Brooklyn style.

On Tues., Feb. 5, the Year of the Pig will kick off, but, even before that, the borough-wide festivities will begin, with events around Brooklyn that the whole family is sure to enjoy.

On Sat., Feb. 2, Beyond at Liberty View, 850 Third Avenue, will host its Lunar New Year Celebration. From 3-4 p.m., James Beard Award Winning Author Grace Young will demonstrate how to make her famous Stir Fry Noodles. Then at 4 p.m., the Wan Chi Ming Dragon Dance Team will give attendees a Lunar New Year performance, kicking off an eye-catching Lunar New Year parade. For more information, visit www.bedbathandbeyond.com/brooklyn.

Also, on Sat. Feb. 2, Borough President Eric Adams in conjunction with the Sino America New York Brooklyn Archway Association, will host the Lunar New Year Cultural Temple Festival 2019 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon Street. Among the highlights will be celebratory giveaways, children’s activities and live cultural performances.

The Brooklyn Children’s Museum, 145 Brooklyn Avenue, will mark Lunar New Year on Sun., Feb. 3 and Tues. Feb. 5 by welcoming back the Chinatown Community Young Lions and the New York Chinese Cultural Center. @ccyl_ny’s parade last year was a huge hit, as were @nychineseculturalcenter’s lion dance performances. Programs during the day will explore Chinese culture and hands-on art-making.  For more information, visit www.brooklynkids.org.

On Tues., Feb. 5, the Prospect Park Alliance will celebrate Lunar New Year. From 12-4 p.m., Lefferts Historic House will welcome the Year of the Pig with paper-lantern making and good luck paper crafts. Attendees can also learn about the Lunar New Year while enjoying traditional New Year treats. For more information, visit https://on.nyc.gov/2RZp6mw.

On Sat., Feb. 9, CPC Brooklyn Community Services will have its Lunar New Year Celebration at P.S. 310, 942 62nd Street, from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. to welcome the Year of the Pig and the start of the year 4717 on the Lunar calendar.

Councilmember Justin Brannan’s office is collaborating with CPC and other elected officials such as state Sen. Andrew Gounardes, Assemblymember Peter Abbate and Councilmember Carlos Menchaca with the support from community partners to present the family-friendly Lunar New Year-themed event featuring dancing and singing performances, riddles, games, information, New Year trivia, raffles, giveaways and a children’s traditional costume contest. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/2S4ee6K.

This year, the Brooklyn Chinese-American Association’s (BCAA) Annual Chinese New Year Celebration Parade is on Sun., Feb. 10, at 12 p.m.

The festivities will begin at 11 a.m. at the grandstand at Eighth Avenue and 50th Street, with performances and cultural activities. Then at 1 p.m., the opening ceremony will be held. Like in past years, the afternoon will include a fireworks display, a traditional lion dance, a Kung-Fu demonstration, and performances by children in public school and day care programs.

At 2:30 p.m., the parade will conclude at 61st Street. As part of the celebration, the lions will dance in front of each store to bring good luck and fortune to the community.

In addition, several Brooklyn Public libraries will host Lunar New Year events.

On Sat., Feb. 9, from 1-2 p.m., at the Central Library, 10 Grand Army Plaza, a presentation will celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Pig and usher in a year of joy and abundance. Attendees are encouraged to put on something red and bring the whole family to experience dances from one of the most ancient cultures in the world courtesy of the renowned Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company who will perform in colorful Chinese costumes accompanied by the sound of authentic Chinese instruments. Seating is limited;  first come, first served.

On Fri., Feb 15., the Bay Ridge branch of the BPL, 7223 Ridge Boulevard will host a Lunar New Year event at 2 p.m. featuring festive music and the red ribbon dance, with artists from Ba Ban Chinese Music Society in attendance.

Also on Fri., Feb. 15, the New Utrecht branch, 1743 86th Street, will host Lunar New Year Storytime for children five and younger and their caregivers.

The same event will be held at the Dyker Heights branch, 8202 13th Avenue, on Sat. Feb 16 at 2:30 p.m.

Then on Fri., Feb. 22, the Sunset Park branch, 4201 Fourth Avenue, will celebrate Lunar New Year 2019 from 4:30-5:15 p.m. with Asian Performing Arts. The program will include Chinese ethnic dances, songs, martial arts and a ribbon dance demo with audience participation. For more information, visit www.bklynlibrary.org.

Every weekend in February, the Prospect Park Zoo, 450 Flatbush Avenue, will celebrate the festival of the new moon and highlight the animals of the Chinese Zodiac. Attendees can say hello to Prospect Park Zoo’s three little pigs, visit the Conservation Station in the Hall of Animals for special activities, and hunt for the Lunar New Year’s zodiac animals around the zoo thanks to a special scavenger hunt. A special fortune cookie with a conservation message is the reward. Attendees will also learn how the Wildlife Conservation Society is saving wildlife in China and Southeast Asia.