Long Island City Partnership Launches First-Ever LIC Lunar New Year Celebration
The community-wide program features scores of activities and offers, cementing the Queens neighborhood as the city’s latest district to explore Asian and Asian American culture
Long Island City, New York (January 24, 2022) – Long Island City Partnership (LICP), the
neighborhood development organization for Long Island City (LIC), has launched the first-ever
LIC Lunar New Year Celebration. Taking place January 24-February 6, the event honors the
community’s rapidly growing Asian and Asian American community and provides a festive and
enjoyable experience for residents and visitors of all ages.
During the two-week program, the neighborhood will be enlivened with promotions, deals and
events from 60+ businesses and organizations, including top eateries, cultural institutions and
retail shops. Experiences range from a Lunar New Year themed flea market to new menu
offerings. The celebration’s focal event, a Lion Dance and Community Day, takes place on
Saturday, January 29, and features a lion dance procession along Jackson Avenue,
appearances from special guests and family-friendly activities in Court Square Park.
“LIC is where the world comes together, and we are thrilled to help our growing Asian and Asian American community share this celebration of Lunar New Year with the rest of the city,” said Elizabeth Lusskin, President, Long Island City Partnership. “This is also a great time to highlight the many Asian and Asian American owned businesses in the area, and the great pride the entire community, including all of our small businesses, has in our diversity. Even as LIC evolves, it remains one of New York City’s most unique and rewarding districts to experience.”
Celebration participants and partners cover a spectrum of categories. A few highlight
participants include the JACX&CO food hall (including LOTUS+CLEAVER and Temakase Long
Island City), Materials for the Arts, Museum of the Moving Image, New York Chinese Cultural
Center, Socrates Sculpture Park, The Noguchi Museum, Xi’an Famous Foods and Yumpling,
among others. The event was not limited to Asian-owned or focused businesses to remain
inclusive of LIC’s diverse community interested in honoring Lunar New Year in their own way.
The full participant list can be viewed here.
“We jumped at the chance to be a part of this groundbreaking program from Long Island City
Partnership that both engages and champions local businesses like my own, and validates the
vibrant Asian community that has blossomed over the past few years,” said Jason Wang, CEO
of Xi’an Famous Foods, who has also advised LICP on the event over the past few months.
Xi’an Famous Foods reopened its LIC location in April 2021 after a devastating fire in January
2020. The LIC branch is offering a special signed version of their famous house-made chili oil
from Jan. 29-Feb. 1 as part of the celebration. “As a business owner and former resident, I am
committed to the success of Long Island City and showcasing its continued diversity in an
authentic way,” Wang said.
LIC contains New York City’s fastest growing Asian community, according to census data. It
has a population of almost 11,000 Asian residents, representing 34% of the population. Over the past few years, and throughout the pandemic, multiple Asian-owned businesses have opened – and flourished – in LIC, capitalizing on the neighborhood’s changing demographics.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with LIC Partnership to celebrate Lunar New Year and share
Chinese arts with the community. Long Island City is fast becoming an epicenter of Asian and
Asian American culture and opportunity. We look forward to doing more to serve the growing
Asian and Asian American populations in Long Island City and the LIC community overall,” said Ying Yen, Executive Director, New York Chinese Cultural Center, who worked with LICP on the celebration as both a planning committee member and promotional partner.
LIC Lunar New Year is complemented with a digital guide detailing all of the related
experiences. LICP anticipates that the celebration will become a cornerstone annual
occurrence, supported by locals, attracting visitors from across the city to international travelers.
Lion Dance and Community Day: On Saturday, January 29, LICP will host a lion dance
procession along Jackson Avenue. The lion dance will kick off at the corner of Queens Plaza
and Jackson Avenue at 1 p.m., with stops along the thoroughfare, concluding around 2:30 p.m.
in Court Square Park. Press are invited to attend opening remarks at 12:45 p.m. where there
will be short speeches from special guests, including elected officials or their delegates.
Running concurrently, from 1-3 p.m. there will be several activities in nearby Court Square Park, ranging from calligraphy to taekwondo demonstrations. There will also be prize giveaways and contests.
Please contact Sierra Brown at sbrown@licpartnership.org if you have any questions, are
interested in interviewing LICP staff/celebration participants or require any additional assets. A
photo bank of related images can be found here.
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About Long Island City Partnership:
Long Island City Partnership (LICP) is the neighborhood development organization for Long Island City. LICP’s mission is to advocate for economic development that benefits the area’s industrial, commercial, tech, cultural, tourism, and residential sectors. The goal is to attract new businesses to LIC, retain those already here, welcome new residents and visitors, and promote a vibrant and authentic mixed-use community. LICP also operates the LIC Business Improvement District and LIC Industrial Business Zone (LIC IBZ), providing business services and assistance.
About The Long Island City Business Improvement District:
The Long Island City Business Improvement District (LIC BID) serves a diverse and growing community. Created in 2005, the original LIC BID encompassed the commercial corridors along Queens Plaza and Jackson Avenue to Court Square. In 2017 the BID expanded to include the commercial corridors continuing along Jackson Avenue, Vernon Boulevard, and 44th Drive. Managed by the Long Island City Partnership, the BID provides supplementary sanitation, horticulture and visitor services within the District, and carries out community development and marketing initiatives that benefit the neighborhood.