ELMHURST NY (TIP): NYC Council Member Daniel Dromm and co-sponsors EmblemHealth, MetroPlus and the Coalition for Chinese Children and Families (CACF) ushered in the Year of the Dog at the 8th Annual Lunar New Year celebration at St. James’s Episcopal Church, Elmhurst. The event featured a Chinese calligraphy demonstration, traditional Korean drumming, traditional Chinese dance, traditional Vietnamese music, music and dance numbers by PS 7, PS 13 and IS 5 students, free face paintings, a dog puppet workshop for children, and lion dancing.  It also included a resource fair with representation from nearly 30 local civic groups, social service providers, and city agencies.

“Now in its 8th year, my annual Lunar New Year celebration is becoming a time-honored tradition in Elmhurst,” said NYC Council Member Daniel Dromm (D-Elmhurst, Jackson Heights).  “For Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese people around the world, Lunar New Year is a time for friends, family and celebration.  As a Council Member representing one of the largest and most diverse Asian American communities in the city, I am pleased to have founded this event that allows us to usher in the new year together as one neighborhood.”

Dromm 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.  The Elmhurst celebration has steadily grown over the years and is now among the neighborhood’s most cherished events.