Last Saturday night, I went to bed around 8:30 pm. And promptly woke up at midnight, 1 am, 2 am, and finally 3 am when I had to get up. Like a kid before Christmas, I was too excited to sleep. Along with fellow photographer, Craig Leaper, we had signed up for a photography workshop with Joe DiMaggio to photograph the Chinese New Year Parade in New York City, year of the Goat.

Step one was getting there however, which entailed leaving by 4am to drive down icy and snowy back-country roads to catch our bus out of the Reading bus terminal. Not the most auspicious of beginnings.

Arriving at the Port Authority and descending into the NYC subway, I couldn’t help thinking that this is what I picture when I imagine a a post apocalyptic society; everything is gray, grimy, and cold while everybody is layered, tired, and completely unwilling to make eye contact. New York, I love ya.

Arriving at the corner of Mott and Hester Street, we met our fellow photogs and were given our media passes. At this point I gotta tell you, the media pass is one of the top ten best things I have ever been given. Not only did it grant me access beyond the barriers and put me in the middle of all of the action, people trusted the media pass and trusted me as a photographer. You’re not some creeper taking their picture, you’re a member of the press– documenting the parade. Consequently, people didn’t shy away from the camera and were open to being photographed, which was awesome.

The parade didn’t start on time (does any parade start on time?) which provided ample opportunities to photograph beyond the scenes. We walked back and forth over the course of several blocks that had been roped off for the participants as they assembled and readied themselves and their floats for the parade; children in goat costumes, teenagers carrying dragon heads, and volunteers tethered to clouds of balloons. I’m not sure what the final balloon tally was, but it must have rivaled that of political conventions.

The really cool thing about the event was the cross-cultural support and promotion of the Chinese New Year parade by other organizations. The NYPD marching band was on hand, as well as the NYC Fire department donned in kilts and bagpipes. So in China Town, which is right next to Little Italy, I photographed a firefighter dressed in a kilt, tuning his bag pipe. America– you melting pot you.

Once the parade was under way, thousands of people lined the streets waving American and Chinese flags as local marching bands, color guard, dragon dancers and musicians marched, danced, and played their way into China Town. Antique cars topped with waving beauty queens and Asian and Hispanic musical performers among many others soon followed as glitter and confetti rained down and coated the streets. I am still finding random bits of confetti in my hair and clothes.

But hey, enough of me trying to describe the parade. I’ll sum it up by saying, it was definitely the highlight of my winter. You can check out my pics from the parade in the slideshow below. Enjoy!