Lunar New Year for All contingent marks Year of the Dragon

Large crowds congregated in New York’s Chinatown on Feb. 25 for the city’s annual Lunar New Year Parade — and the Lunar New Year for All contingent stood strong yet again to represent the city’s diverse LGBTQ community.

Revelers filled the streets in commemoration of the Year of the Dragon, which is meant to bring success and prosperity. The Lunar Year for All contingent featured of dozens of people across several groups, including API Rainbow Parents, which offers support to Asian-Pacific Islander (API) families with LGBTQ family members, as well as Fogo Azul, an NYC-based drum line featuring women, trans, and non-binary individuals. It was Fogo Azul’s first time joining the Lunar New Year for All contingent. Other groups that have regularly participated in the Lunar New Year contingent include Q-Wave and GAPIMNY — Empowering Queer and Trans Asian Pacific Islanders.

This marked the 14th time that the LGBTQ contingent participated in the parade, which started this year at Mott and Canal Streets and ended at Eldridge and Forsyth Streets near Grand Street by Sara D. Roosevelt Park. The Lunar New Year for All contingent has had a strong annual presence at the parade in past years, as well, including last year, when participants celebrated the Year of the Rabbit in another vibrant showing.

The Sunday parade concluded several weeks of festivities to mark Lunar New Year in Chinatown. A 26th annual New Year firecracker ceremony and cultural festival took place on Feb. 10 at Sara D. Roosevelt Park, followed by Super Saturday — featuring lion dance troupes — a week later on Feb. 17.