The Lunar New Year holiday has closed trading floors in mainland China, Seoul and Taipei – Copyright AFP ADEK BERRY
On Saturday, February 21st, the 2026 Lunar New Year Parade took place in Flushing, Queens, for a massive turnout.
This marked the fifth of day of the first lunar month, which is known as Po Wu or “Breaking the Five,” in the Year of the First Horse.
This is a rare but energetic year, which happens every 60 years in the Chinese zodiac cycle. The emphasis is on speed, fast-paced change, uplifting energy, ambition, and intense passion.
The 2026 Lunar New Year Parade began promptly at 11a.m. at Union Street and 37th Avenue, in front of the local 109th New York Police Department (NYPD) Precinct.
Flushing is home to the first—and largest—Chinatown neighborhood in Queens, New York. Queens is the borough with one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing Chinese neighborhoods outside of Asia.
This year’s Lunar New Year Parade was a huge draw, where thousands gathered to celebrate, and it featured performers in vibrant costumes, floats, dancing, and traditional Chinese celebrations and traditions.
Flushing now rivals Manhattan’s Chinatown as a center of Chinese-American culture. In recent years, the Lunar New Year Parade has become an ever-growing annual celebration of Chinese New Year, and rightfully so.
Similar to the Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival that was held a few days ago at Sara D. Roosevelt Park in New York City, there was a feeling of euphoria in the streets of Main Street, Flushing, during the festivities of this year’s parade.
Lion dances are traditionally performed in China and among ethnic Chinese communities all over the world to mark the Lunar New Year – Copyright AFP Arif Kartono
Bestselling author Dar Dowling stated, “Watching Flushing, Queens celebrate the Lunar New Year was unforgettable. The lion dancers, moving through the streets in their vibrant costumes, carried a rhythm and confidence that felt both ancient and alive.”
“With drums echoing and color everywhere, it felt like the ‘Year of the Horse’ was arriving at full speed—bold, energized, and full of promise. The moment lifted me, leaving a deep sense of joy and forward motion,” Dowling explained.
Lunar New Year shopping helped boost consumption in China in January – Copyright AFP/File GREG BAKER
CEO Gabby Gabriel, who runs the Chinese marketing agency GAB China, remarked, “The firecrackers, the drums, the red lanterns — they’re a declaration of renewal. In the heart of Flushing, you can feel the optimism of a new year begin.”
“I’ve always loved that Lunar New Year offers something uniquely powerful — a second chance at our resolutions, a moment to reset if we didn’t quite get it right in January,” she elaborated.
“Here on Main Street, that spirit of renewal feels alive and shared by the entire community,” she added.
The Silver Pride Lion Troupe has coaxed more than a dozen elderly people out of retirement to perform a revered Lunar New Year tradition – Copyright AFP Roslan RAHMAN
Read More: 2026 Lunar New Year Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival in Manhattan.