By Sarah Tan
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
CHINATOWN — Chinatown rang in the Year of the Dragon with a roar on Sunday, hosting a colorful parade complete with floats and confetti.
Dancers covered in a colorful cloth dragon costume who call themselves lion dancers performed for revelers before the official procession began, bouncing to a traditional Chinese drumbeat as mini firecrackers popped and confetti rained on the crowd. Many Chinatown organizations, including one of the city's oldest and largest family cultural groups, the Gee How Oak Tin Association, turned out to march in the parade.
"This is not just for performers. It's for kids, old people," said Garture Li, 24, a Chinese lion dancer who is part of the New York Hung Sing Kwoon Lion Dancing Group. "And it's not all for Chinese people. Anyone can come here and get a piece of Chinese culture.
"Lion dancing is a tradition for the youth," added Garture, who's been a lion dancer since he was 10. "And we make our parents proud because they see us carrying on the tradition."
The start of the Chinese New Year began Jan. 23. A parade will is scheduled to be held next week in Flushing, home to the city's largest Asian population, on Saturday.
On Sunday, Scott Chen, 60, a member of the Gee How Oak Tin association, said it was important to keep the Chinese heritage along and strong.
"It's very important that we keep these traditions because we're away from home and this is the only way for many of us to celebrate," he said.
Not all participants were Chinese. Chris and Joanne Rubano of Staten Island were participating in the parade for the first time with their children after they were invited by their Kiwanis club.
"We figured this was really a unique opportunity for us and our kids to march with the Chinatown Kiwanis club," Chris Rubano, 45, said.
"This is our first time and it's amazing, "Joanne Rubano, 45, said. "There are so many sights. We think it's great and we'll definitely try to come back next year."
Farther up the road, the Asian Americans for Equality hosted an elaborate float, complete with a man dressed in a headdress covered in red flowers, gold and red Chinese robe and holding a scroll for his role as "Mr. Fortune" to ring in the new year.
"Mr. Fortune is there to welcome people and to welcome in a prosperous new year," Christopher Kui, AAE's executive director.
"We really want to show New Yorkers that Chinatown is alive and we're here to stay," Kui said. "We want the city to know that there's still more to be done, gentrification has been causing a lot of old-timers to move, and we want to make sure the city knows we need more businesses to maintain employment."
