Meng To Lead First-Ever March
For the first time, Elmhurst will celebrate the Asian Lunar New Year with a parade scheduled to take place this Saturday, Feb. 9, and new Rep. Grace Meng has been named the inaugural march’s grand marshal.
The parade and related festivities were announced by City Council Member Daniel Dromm, Asian Community United Society and WellCare.
The celebration of the Year of the Snake gets under way at 11 a.m. in front of C.C. Moore Homestead Park, located at the corner of Broadway and Elmhurst Avenue. Dragon dancers, drummers, the I.S. 145 marching band and various community organizations will march down Broadway at 11:30 a.m. to St. James Episcopal Church, where organizers will host a fair to provide information on resources and services available to the community.
Meng, who is the first Asian American elected to Congress from the East Coast in U.S. history, was honored to celebrate Lunar New Year in a community as culturally diverse as Elmhurst.
“I am incredibly honored and proud to serve as the first ever grand marshal for this terrific event, and I thank Councilman Dromm for all his work in making it a success” said Meng. “I’m thrilled to be leading this year’s parade, and I look forward to ushering in the Year of the Snake with my constituents, colleagues and all who come out for this wonderful event.”
Dromm, who chairs the New York City Council’s Committee on Immigration, first established the event in 2011 to create an opportunity for the Asian American communities of Elmhurst to increase their visibility and celebrate their cultural pride while sowing the seeds for future organizing.
“It is fitting that Congresswoman Grace Meng is our first-ever grand marshal in this Year of the Snake, which symbolizes gracefulness and intelligence,” said Dromm. The snake is the sixth animal in the 12 year cycle of the Chinese zodiac.
“It’s an honor for Asian Community United Society to work together with Council Member Dromm to host the first-ever Lunar New Year parade in Elmhurst,” said Asian Community United Society Executive
Director, Warren Chan. “We are looking forward to working with the local businesses and community organizations to grow the parade in the upcoming years.”
The Elmhurst celebration has steadily grown from the small block of performances the community enjoyed in its first year. Last year’s event drew over 100 guests and an even better turnout is anticipated for this year.
Any organization interested in tabling at the resource fair, can contact Carolyn Tran at 1-718-803-6373 ext. 204 or Yessika Giraldo at 1-718- 803-6373 ext. 205. Tables and chairs will be provided.
