🌱 Lunar New Year Parade Tomorrow + Permanent Outdoor Dining?

Hello, neighbors! Sean Peek here with a fresh copy of the Lower East Side-Chinatown Daily.

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First, today's weather:

A snow shower in the p.m. High: 40 Low: 21.

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Here are the top three stories today in Lower East Side-Chinatown:

1. Chinatown is getting ready to kick off New York City's Lunar New Year Parade! The 24th annual Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade and Festival will take place Sunday, Feb. 20, on the corner of Hester Street and Mott Street beginning at 1 p.m. The parade route will go from Mott and Canal to Chatham Square to East Broadway towards the Manhattan Bridge. It will finish at Eldridge and Forsyth Street towards Grand Street next to Sara D. Roosevelt Park. (WABC-TV)
2. Following a contentious nine-hour hearing, the push to make outdoor dining permanent in New York City has moved forward this week. Two City Council committees related to zoning and land use voted on Thursday to recommend an amendment that would legalize sidewalk cafes in most parts of the city. This amendment would replace the narrow districting zones where cafes were allowed prior to the pandemic. (Eater NY)
3. The mass community vaccination site at Essex Crossing is will be closing its operations this weekend. Sunday will be the last day the COVID-19 vaccine center at 244 Broome Street will be in operation. Those folks needing the jab can do so between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Bowery Boogie)

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Today in Lower East Side-Chinatown:

• Transcending Love: Portraits Of Transgender, Non-Binary, And Gender-Nonconforming Couples At Schwartz Plaza, New York University (All Day)
• Passport To The Past: The Hidden History Surrounding NYU At 566 LaGuardia Place (All Day)
• Time Warp: Saturday Morning Cartoons Burlesque And Drag Show At Caveat (9:00 AM)

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From my notebook:

• How are your Valentine's Day bouquets holding up? As they start to get wilty, the Lower East Side Ecology Center would love to see your flowers at their drop-off sites so that they can be composted and feed the soil to help future flowers grow. (Facebook)
• Once home to the largest Jewish population in the world, the Lower East Side still bears traces of Jewish life from the turn of the last century. Join the Museum at Eldridge Street this Sunday, February 20 at 1 PM for their neighborhood Walking Tour. (Facebook)
• Join the Lower East Side Harm Reduction Center for their first kit packing sessions of the year. (Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Saturday off right. Your usual curator will be back on Monday morning for another update!

— Sean Peek

About me: Sean Peek is a writer and entrepreneur with a degree in English Literature from Weber State University. Over the years, he has worked as a copywriter, editor, SEO specialist, and marketing director for various digital media companies. He currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.