Firecrackers boomed, lion dancers chased lettuce and politicians refrained from campaigning at this year’s Lunar New Year celebration Sunday in Chinatown Sunday, but on Monday Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver backed former Community Board 1 chairperson Julie Menin for borough president.
“Julie Menin has been a true force and an essential partner in rebuilding downtown Manhattan after 9/11 spurring development of housing, schools and businesses that has brought families back to live and thrive here,” Silver said in a prepared statement Feb. 11.
Menin called the endorsement “humbling since he represents Lower Manhattan in Albany and he sees what we accomplish Downtown first hand.”
At the firecrackers event, Sara D. Roosevelt Park briefly resembled a war scene Feb. 10 before the smoke cleared.
The celebration for the Year of the Snake is far from over as the big Lunar New Year Parade will be this Sunday, Feb. 17 at 1 p.m. The parade runs along most of Chinatown’s main streets including Mott, E. Broadway, Eldridge and Forsyth Sts. There will also be a cultural booth at Canal and Forsyth Sts.
Other politicians running for office this year attended including mayoral candidate John Liu and City Councilmember Margaret Chin who is running for reelection.
