Why not try a slice of life in the Big Apple? Non-stop New York is perfect for awe, excitement and some of the most amazing festivals and parades you will ever see. New York is famed for being the city that never sleeps and with the amount of processions, parades and ceremonies; it’s easy to see why.

The St. Patrick’s Day parade is the next big event on the New York calendar. Even New Yorkers who don’t have a drop of Irish blood will take to the streets in green, drink Guinness and Jameson’s and watch the parade go by. This year the New York St Patrick’s day parade takes place on 17 March 2009 starting at 11am on 5th Avenue around 44th Street.

The Tribeca Film Festival is also a mainstay of the New York festival circuit. The first was launched in 2002 by Jane Rosenthal and Robert De Niro and has been going from strength to strength ever since. This year it falls from 22 April to 3 May and screens almost 200 movies, a family festival street fair and panel discussions.

Halloween in New York is not for the faint hearted. Hundreds of revellers take to the streets in spooky fancy dress to usher in the holiday season. Take a seat at a screening of a classic horror movie accompanied by chilling organ music to start your spooky evening, before watching the Grand Procession of the Ghouls, featuring costumes, creatures and special effects by Ralph Lee and guaranteed to get your heart racing.

The Macy’s Day Thanksgiving Parade is probably the best known parade in America. Every year the streets are filled and the sky is bursting with balloons and floats. The best seats are booked in advance; people arrive before 6am to stake their claim on the sidewalk. So if you’re feeling adventurous, get your thermals and some cocoa and get there bright and early. If, however, early mornings are not quite your cup of tea, then you can book hotel rooms overlooking the parade, but remember to book early as they’re very popular.

Though Chinese New Year has passed us by this year, it falls on 14 February 2010 next year and is another highlight of a New Yorkers’ calendar. A firecracker ceremony at noon ushers in the Lunar New Year, accompanied by lion dances and drumming. The streets of Chinatown are dotted with vendors selling traditional Chinese New Year items as the parade winds past.

So, if you feel like getting caught up in the sociable side of New York then the uplifting atmosphere of a festival or parade is perfect. New York holidays are spectacular and not to be missed. For details of how to book your trip to New York visit the Kuoni Travel website.

 

 

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