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PHOTOS: Schools chancellor helps ring in the Lunar New Year early at Bayside school celebration

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Photos by Jenna Bagcal/QNS

Students and educators at a Bayside elementary school rang in the Year of the Pig in a very festive fashion this year.

P.S. 203, The Oakland Gardens School, held their annual Lunar New Year celebration on Wednesday, Jan. 30. The celebration featured traditional Chinese and Korean dances, songs, drum performances and visual Japanese storytelling.

For over 25 years, the school has put on their annual Lunar New Year exhibition, which celebrates the new year according to the traditional Chinese calendar. Tuesday, Feb. 5, marks the official start of the year of the pig, which P.S. 203 Principal Deborah Florio said is “characterized as being warmhearted, good-tempered, wild, honest and gentle.”

Department of Education Chancellor Richard Carranza, state Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, Assemblyman Ed Braunstein and officers from the 111th Precinct joined parents as honored guests at Wednesday’s event.

“While we’re so excited and so honored that our local elected and leaders — the village beyond the walls of school — really fought to ensure that Lunar New Year was recognized as a citywide holiday to really honor the cultures of our community, it really started here 25 years ago at 203,” said District 26 Community Superintendent Danielle Giunta. “This has been a beacon and model for bringing a community together to celebrate.”

Check out photos from the event below.