The streets of Brooklyn came alive over the weekend, ushering in the Year of the Snake.
Lunar New Year celebrations kicked off on Feb. 1 with the Brooklyn Lunar New Year Celebration & Prosperity Street Festival in Sunset Park. Organized by the Better Brooklyn Association, the annual event spans 8th Avenue from 50th to 60th streets, featuring an array of live performances, community awards and festive activities for all ages.
The main stage at 51st Street hosted dazzling performances by local schools and senior centers, while firecrackers and lion dances set the tone for the traditional ritual cleansing of homes and businesses to usher in good luck for the year ahead.
Awards were presented to local politicians, including newly-elected State Sen. Steven Chan and Assembly Member Lester Chang, both of whom were among those honored for their support of Brooklyn’s Asian-American communities. Chan and Chang also co-sponsored Saturday’s event, alongside Council Member Susan Zhuang and Assembly Member William Colton.
Festivities continued on Feb. 2 with the 18th Avenue Lunar New Year Parade in Bensonhurst.
Organized by the Chinese American Social Services Center and Council Member Zhuang’s office, the annual march transformed the thoroughfare from 61st to 83rd streets into a sea of red and gold. Paradegoers enjoyed lion and dragon dances, cultural performances and traditional music.
Electeds in attendance included Chan, Chang, Zhuang and Colton, as well as Assembly Member Alec Brook-Krasny, U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and more.
Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is one of the most important holidays in many East and Southeast Asian cultures, including Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean communities. Marking the beginning of the lunar calendar, celebrations typically last 15 days and are filled with family gatherings, traditional meals and rituals to bring good fortune for the year ahead.
Firecrackers, red decorations, and lion dances — vibrant symbols of warding off bad luck and inviting prosperity — lit up the streets of Brooklyn over the weekend, creating a dazzling display of tradition and celebration.
The Year of the Snake holds significant meaning in the Chinese zodiac.
As the sixth sign in the 12-animal cycle, the snake is associated with wisdom, intuition, and transformation. Those born in the Year of the Snake (1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, and 2025) are often seen as thoughtful and resourceful individuals. The snake is said to symbolize a year for strategic thinking and smart decision-making, encouraging people to slow down, reflect and approach their goals thoughtfully.