Queens Residents Celebrate Lunar New Year

Delighting the crowd were street entertainers, including a fire eater, children’s martial arts groups, a sword artist, ceremonial masked jesters, a large paper mache snake, six floats and many brightly decorated vans representing local Queens businesses.
However, the event was not without its controversy. Prior conflict with various members of the Asian community regarding inclusion in the parade of the Falun Gong, a Chinese separatist group believing in mystical Eastern philosophy, was peacefully resolved. "Everyone is invited to march together," said Fu. "That is what democracy is all about. We want people to come to celebrate the festival, not for something else."
The event was started six years ago by the Flushing Chinese Business Association and called the Lunar New Year in order to be inclusive of all Asians, as well as Queens multi-ethnic groups.