There are a lot of ways to celebrate the Chinese New Year (technically the Lunar New Year), like going to Chinatown for a kickoff Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival (tomorrow, January 28) and heading to a dim sum brunch or Imperial tea at the swishy La Chine in the Waldorf Astoria. But what better way to jump start the Year of the Rooster (it’s your year if you were born in 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005) than by heading to Madison Avenue for the second annual Lunar Year Celebration. Thirty three top retailers along the street, including David Yurman, De Beers, Giorgio Armani, Kate Spade New York, Michael Kors, rag & bone, Smythson, Stuart Weitzman, Tory Burch, and Vacheron Constantin will be offering special in-store treats on Sunday, January 29th, including sales “incentives,” and offerings of celebratory teas, fine spirits, and nibbles. The Lowell New York and Ristorante Morini along the route are also presenting holiday-themed treats and drinks. Congresswomen Carolyn Maloney and Nydia Velazquez will join in the celebration..
The event is organized by BID in cooperation with the Chinatown Partnership, East Midtown Partnership, Grand Central Partnership, and SUNY’s Confucius Institute for Business (CIB). The celebration will kick off at 11 AM inside the Harman Store at 527 Madison Avenue (at East 54th Street), and feature cultural performances by The New York Eastern Chamber Orchestra Conducted by Fei Fang; FJ Music, who combine traditional Chinese music with modern-day hits; a Chinese Opera performance by artists from Confucius Institute for Chinese Opera at SUNY Binghamton University.; and a Martial Art performance from the American Tai Chi and Health Qigong Center that will depict the evolving role of martial arts in human history.
In addition, the Opera Gallery and Sundaram Tagore Gallery will have private tours and showings. For kids, there will be Chinese face painting, calligraphy, paper-cutting, and a themed photo booth inside heated tents.
