Newly elected New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin wasted no time getting face to face with constituents, marching through Manhattan’s Chinatown on Sunday as crowds lined the streets for the 28th annual Lunar New Year parade. Her appearance, complete with lion dancers, drumming and a sea of red banners, helped kick off the neighborhood’s weeklong Year of the Fire Horse celebrations.
Continuing to ring in the Year of the Fire Horse by marching through Chinatown in the annual Lunar New Year parade.
— New York City Council (@NYCCouncil) March 1, 2026
Speaker Menin Joins The Procession
In a post shared by the council’s official X account, Menin wrote, "Continuing to ring in the Year of the Fire Horse by marching through Chinatown in the annual Lunar New Year parade," underscoring her role in the festivities. According to ABC7 New York, the parade kicked off at 1 p.m. and moved from Mott and Canal streets through Chatham Square and East Broadway toward Forsyth and Grand Streets.
Parade Route And Community Turnout
Organizers at Better Chinatown USA list this year’s event as the 28th Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade and note that festival booths were set up along Bayard Street between Mott and Mulberry Streets. Organizers and local coverage highlighted lion and dragon dances, martial-arts performers and marching bands that pulled in families and tourists throughout the afternoon. Residents and business owners told NY1 they depend on events like the parade to bring foot traffic back to neighborhood storefronts.
Why Menin’s Turnout Matters
Menin was elected speaker on Jan. 7, 2026, and the New York City Council’s press office says she plans to make community outreach and neighborhood engagement a priority in her first months in the role, according to the City Council. Her biography on the council website points to a background in consumer protection and small-business work, experience that officials say shapes how she approaches constituent outreach.
Business Bump And Tradition
For merchants and performers, the parade is both a cultural anchor and a badly needed boost during a slower stretch of the calendar. Firecracker ceremony coverage set the stage for the broader slate of events that led into Sunday’s procession. Organizers say the celebrations are designed to support local businesses while keeping long-standing neighborhood traditions very much alive.
