Lunar New Year Parade In Queens: Where And When To Watch

FLUSHING, QUEENS -- It's the Year of the Dog, and Flushing is gearing up to celebrate with its largest Lunar New Year Parade yet - and yes, dogs are welcome.

More than 10,000 spectators are expected to flood Queens' first - and largest - Chinatown neighborhood for the annual parade on Saturday to catch a glimpse at the vibrant costumes, floats and dancers that have paraded through the same route for more than two decades.

"Our last count for the parade was around 10,000 people but it grows every year, so we definitely expect to have more this year," said John Choe, director of the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce, which puts the parade on every year.

The parade starts at 11 a.m. outside the 109th precinct, but the Flushing Chamber will host a pooch-friendly reception beforehand at St. George's Episcopal Church for viewers who want to watch with them.

Spectators can meet at the church for hot coffee and donuts, martial arts demonstrations and K-Pop dance shows from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. before heading to the parade site together.

The hourlong parade will wind its way from the corner of Union Street and 37th Avenue to Main Street and 39th Avenue. For the best view, Choe recommends the Flushing Queens Library at 41-17 Main St.

"There's going to be a viewing stand there, and it's the widest part of the parade, so there's plenty of space for people to watch," Choe told Patch.

The parade will also be broadcast live on SinoVision, a U.S.-based Chinese language TV network.

The Flushing Chamber has planned the Lunar New Year parade for more than 20 years alongside the Flushing Chinese Business Association and the Korean American Association in Queens. Each year, the neighborhood's Chinese and Korean groups take turns leading the parade, Choe said.

This year, the Chinese groups will march first.

"It's a unique model we've developed to coordinate diversity in the parade," Choe said.

In fact, a big part of the chamber's Lunar New Year parade is the diversity of its participants. The parade sees marchers from all different backgrounds - including the LGBT community - ethnicities and industries, he said.

"As someone who celebrates Lunar New Year, that really stands out to me," he said. " It's a really good representation of the diversity within our community."

But the festivities don't stop when the Lunar New Year parade ends. A handful of cultural performances and family activities activities are planned to keep the celebrations going.

"Flushing is going to be the center of a whole month-long series of festivities for the Lunar Year," Choe said.

Lead photo by Frank Franklin II/Associated Press.