In the Big Apple known as the "melting pot", a spate of festive activities were held at iconic venues across the city and saw a broad participation of local communities.[Photo/Xinhua]

On a wintry morning in New York, traditional lion dancers and a classic Chinese dragon made their way from Manhattan's Chinatown to the Upper East Side, then down Madison Avenue, before arriving at East Midtown where families with children were lining up the streets, ready to embrace the Chinese Lunar New Year -- the Spring Festival.

In the Big Apple known as the "melting pot", a spate of festive activities from the Chinese New Year Concert by famed New York Philharmonic to a spectacular fireworks display on the Hudson River, to an Empire State Building light show, were held at iconic venues across the city and saw a broad participation of local communities.

On Saturday, a flash mob featuring 100 monkey performers broke loose at Times Square, to the cheers and excitement of passers-by, while a video introducing the Year of Monkey was aired at the "Crossroads of the World."

"The celebration of Chinese Lunar New Year is no longer a purely Chinese event but an occasion that celebrates the diverse cultures that make up our communities today," said Shirley Young, chair of U.S.-China Cultural Institute.

With so much fun in the air, it might be hard to imagine a time when Lunar New Year celebrations had been forbidden in the city.

Michael Perrone, in his Belleville Times column, wrote: "There was at the time (around 1870) a very strong anti-Chinese sentiment in the country, backed by state and federal laws restricting the immigration, employment and rights of the Chinese. For example, it was illegal for the Chinese to gather publicly in large groups in New York City."