Chinese New YearNew York City's Chinatown is the largest in the United
States and the site of the largest concentration of Chinese in the
western hemisphere; a visit here feels like being in the country
itself. It is a must-see on the opening day of the Chinese New Year
celebrations when performers dance in the street in colourful
costumes followed by a parade of dragon floats. Traditionally, the
New Year marks the beginning of the spring and the rebirth of the
Earth. It is a time for family togetherness, and begins with the
'sweeping of the grounds' - a spring clean to sweep out the old and
evil, which is followed by festivities and feasts. Chinatown has
over 200 restaurants representing cuisine from all the regions of
China, and at New Year the suspicious should eat a whole fish as,
to the Chinese, this represents togetherness and abundance; also
don't chop up your noodles, as their length represents long life!
Colour is also important at New Year. The luckiest colours are red,
orange, yellow, gold and pink. Black and white are unlucky. In 2009
the year of the Ox begins.Central Park SummerStageSummer Stage is one of New York's greatest
institutions, and every summer Central Park is filled with music,
theatre, opera and dance. There is a different performance every
Saturday and Sunday afternoon, and also usually on Wednesday,
Thursday and Friday evenings, and most are free. Bring a picnic if
you don't want to pay for overpriced beer and French fries. For a
list of events visit the Summer Stage website.ING New York City MarathonAs the world's largest marathon with more than 35,000
runners from around the world, only London ranks alongside New York
in terms of prestige. The race passes through all of New York
City's five boroughs before finishing in Central Park and is an
entertaining spectacle with many runners in fancy dress; it is also
a good opportunity to see some celebrities offer their
best.Macy's Thanksgiving Day ParadeThanksgiving (originally a harvest festival) is
celebrated across the United States as families get together and
feast on huge helpings of roast turkey. Macy's Thanksgiving Parade
is one of the Big Apple's most dynamic and colourful events that
takes the celebrations one stage further. Its origins date back to
the 1920s when the city's European immigrants decided to celebrate
the American Thanksgiving Day holiday with the sort of festivities
they had known in their homelands. Hundreds of people marched from
145th Street to 34th Street in costume; accompanied by floats, live
animals (on loan from the zoo) and musicians. The parade attracted
over 250,000 spectators and quickly became an institution. Today
the colourful parade features clowns and marching bands, but the
biggest attraction are the Floats and Falloons (a Macy's hybrid of
a cold air balloon and float) that tower over the crowds; they
usually include Angelina Ballerina, The Statue of Liberty and of
course, the man of the season, Santa Claus on his sleigh. The
parade starts on 77th Street and proceeds down Central Park West to
Columbus Circle, then down Broadway to Macy's at 34th St, finishing
on Seventh Ave. Good places to watch it include Times Square and
Columbus Circle, but get there early as by the afternoon the crowds
are thick.St Patrick's Day ParadeOn St Patrick's Day every year thousands of Irish
Americans head down 5th Avenue in New York's largest street parade.
The day begins with a morning mass in St Patrick's Cathedral, after
which the parade marches up 5th Avenue, clan by clan, from 44th to
86th streets. Green face paint, green nail polish, and green
clothes are on display in the crowds but the parade itself is
marked by more formal Irish pageantry, led by the 165th Infantry
(originally the 69th Regiment of the 1850s). The annual parade
honours the patron saint of Ireland and is a New York tradition
that dates as far back as 1766, many years before the Declaration
of Independence was adopted. After the parade New Yorkers of all
origins dress in green and head to the nearest bar for a pint of
the black stuff.Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks SpectacularIndependence Day is celebrated throughout the States,
but nowhere more than in New York City. Although many locals leave
to spend the holiday on Long Island or in Upstate New York,
thousands of others stay behind to watch Macy's Fourth of July
Fireworks Spectacular. This is probably the biggest and best
firework extravaganza in the country, culminating in a massive
party. More than 10,000 fireworks explode from barges along the
west side of Manhattan, synchronized and choreographed to music. It
starts at sunset and the best place to watch is from the banks of
the East River.Commerce Bank Five Boro Bike TourThe biggest cycling event in the USA, the bike tour
sees 30,000 cyclists pedalling through the five boroughs of New
York City on 42 miles (68km) of traffic-free avenues, highways and
bridges, including the world's longest single-span suspension
bridge, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. The route travels through
Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island. The day
ends with a festival at Fort Wadsworth featuring live music, food
and exhibitions.Gay Pride Week and MarchRainbow flags flutter in Greenwich Village during New
York's Lesbian and Gay Pride Week, with numerous events arranged to
commemorate the Stonewall Riot. Highlights of the week's
festivities are a massive rally, the dance on the pier and the
culminating march.Broadway on BroadwayA quintessential New York City event, Broadway on
Broadway is the theatre season's annual kick-off event where live
shows from almost every play and musical on Broadway, as well as
sneak previews of shows for the new season, are performed on a
giant outdoor stage to an audience of more than
50,000.Times Square New Year's Eve CelebrationsTimes Square boasts one of the largest New Year's Eve
celebrations in the world and the biggest party in New York. The
famous lowering of the New Year's Eve Ball signifies the 60-second
countdown to midnight and the tradition has become a worldwide
symbol of welcoming in the New Year, viewed by millions across the
globe. The festivities include the raising and lighting of the
Ball, music, an hourly big screen video countdown, the lowering of
the ball and a spectacular burst of fireworks. Revellers are
showered with colourful confetti and are given celebratory hats,
pom-poms and balloons to welcome in the New Year.US Open Tennis TournamentThe top names and seeds vie for victory in the final
Grand Slam event of the season in New York each year. Singles,
doubles, men's and ladies, and mixed doubles make up the five
separate tournaments within the championship. Held annually at
Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, the event dates back to
1881 when it was played in the State of Rhode Island as a men's
singles event only and it was not until 1968 that The US Open took
the shape and structure that it has today.Ninth Avenue International Food FestivalMore than a million hungry people descend on the
Hell's Kitchen neighbourhood for two days each May to sample the
delights offered at one of New York's finest street fairs. Ninth
Avenue's restaurants and food stores cover a vast range of ethnic
cuisines, which have made it the city's most famed food
district.Pier Antiques ShowThe internationally renowned Pier Antiques show is
attended by celebrities, major designers and decorators from around
the country, as well as shoppers from around the world. Over 500
exhibits completes the largest art and antiques event in New York,
while Fashion Alley holds a huge selection of vintage fashions. It
has been said that 'if you can't find it at Triple Pier it doesn't
exist'!Village Halloween ParadeWhat started out as a walk from house to house in the
neighbourhood for friends and family by a mask maker and puppeteer
in 1973, is today the largest celebration of its kind in the world,
and one of New York's most colourful annual parties. Listed as one
of the 'Top 100 Things to do Before you Die', the lively event
attracts millions of spectators and participants every year who
take part in a parade featuring huge papier-mâché puppets,
jugglers, stilt-walkers, bands and dancers, and plenty of
outrageous costumes.Winter Solstice ConcertMaking use of the largest Gothic cathedral in the
world, the interior is turned into a stage for the musical,
theatrical, dance and environmental spectacle that is an annual
holiday tradition in celebration of the shortest day and longest
night of the year. The performance is one of the city's biggest and
showiest Christmas events and takes the audience on a symbolic
journey, each year with its own unique style and special affects.
For more information contact the cathedral on +1 212 316
7540.New York Fashion WeekThe fashion gurus, gorgeous models and Hollywood brass
pop into the Big Apple to check out the latest on the catwalk for
next year's Spring Collection. All the top names will be displaying
their stuff but it is almost impossible for the general public to
gain access to the event.
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