Despite the chilly, grey weather, masses of people lined the streets of Chinatown yesterday as the Chinese Lunar New Year Parade wound its way down Mott, under the Manhattan Bridge and up Eldridge to eventually land outside of Sara D. Roosevelt Park.

The parade celebrating the Year of the Rooster featured hundreds of participants and floats including the police and fire departments, World Journal, The Chinese Qipao Society, New York State Nurses Association, New York Music and Dance Organization, Gay Asian Pacific Islander Men of New York and many others. Even Chuck Schumer was there, yelling “we love immigrants!” into his megaphone.

The fifteen-day Chinese New Year holiday will officially end with the Lantern Festival in Sunset Park.