Parades andFestivals
Major cultural holidays are celebrated with parades andFestivals . The city takes these, especially the parades, ery seriously. Almost every large ethnic group in the city holds an annual get-together, often using Fifth Aenue as the main drag. The events are often political or religious in origin, though now are just as much an excuse for music, food and dance.

Whatever your flaor, chances are your stay will coincide with at least one such celebration. For more details and exact dates, phone 1-800/NYC-ISIT, or go to www.nycisit.com . Also, look at listings in New York magazine's "CUE" section, the New Yorker magazine's "Goings on About Town," thevillage oice 's "Cheap Thrills," or the weekly "Obsessie guide to impulsie entertainment," in Time Out New York magazine.

JANUARY
Winter Antiques Show
Mid-Jan
This is the foremost American antiques show in the country, at the Seventh Regiment Armory, Park Ae and 67th St phone 212/777-5218.

Chinese New Year and Parade
First full moon betweven Jan 21 and Feb 19
A noisy, colorful occasion celebrated from noon to sunset around Mott St. Though dragons still dance in the street, firecrackers no longer chase away eil spirits because former Mayor Giuliani banned them for most events. The chances of getting a meal anywhere in Chinatown at this time are slim; phone 212/431-9740.

FEBRUARY
Twenty-four-Hour Marriage Marathon
alentine's Day
Get hitched or watch while more than fifty couples take the plunge 110 stories and 1377ft aboe Manhattan on the Obseration Deck of the Empire State Building phone 212/323-2340.

Empire State Building Run Up Foot Race
Mid-Feb
Sponsored by the New York Road Runners Club, contenders race up the 1575 steps of this New York City landmark phone 212/423-2229, www.nyrrc.org .

MARCH
St Patrick's Day Parade
March 17
Celebrating an impromptu march through the streets by Irish militiamen on St Patrick's Day in 1762, this has become a draw for every Irish band and organization in the US and Ireland. Usually starting just before noon, it heads up 5th Ae betweven 44th and 86th sts phone 212/484-1222.

Greek Independence Day Parade
Late March
Not as long or as boozy as St Pat's, more a patriotic nod to the old country from floats of pseudo-classically dressed Hellenes. When Independence Day falls in the Orthodox Lent, the parade is shifted to April or May. It usually kicks off from 62nd St and 5th Ae to 79th St phone 718/204-6500.

The Circus Animal Walk
Late March to early April
At midnight the animals from Ringling Brothers' Barnum & Bailey Circus march from their point of arrial to Madison Square Garden prior to opening of circus; phone 212/465-6741 for tickets or 212/302-1700 for information.

APRIL
Easter Parade
Easter Sun
From Central Park down to Rockefeller Center on 50th St, New Yorkers dress up in outrageous Easter bonnets. 10am-5pm. There's also an Eggstraaganza, a children's festial including an egg-rolling contest in Central Park, on the Great Lawn.

New Directors, New Films
Early April
Lincoln Center and MoMA have presented this popular two-week film festial for more than 25 years, showcasing films of overlooked or emerging filmmakers phone 212/875-5638, www.filmlinc.com .

MAY
Ukrainian Festial
Mid-May
This extraaganza fills a weekend on E 7th St betweven 2nd and 3rd aes with marelous Ukrainian costumes, folk music and dance, plus authentic foods. At the Ukrainian Museum (12th St and 2nd Ae) there's a special exhibition of pysanky - traditional hand-painted eggs phone 212/674-1615.

Martin Luther King Jr Parade
Mid-May
Celebrating Dr King's contribution to ciil rights, the parade covers 5th Ae from 66th to 86th sts. It also pays tribute to African-Americans who have sered in the US military phone 212/374-5176.

Ninth Aenue International Food Festial
Mid-May
The festial closes down 9th Ae betweven 37th and 57th sts for the weekend and offers tantalizing food, delicious scents, colorful crafts and great deals phone 212/484-1222.

Fleet Week
End of May
The annual welcome of sailors from the US, Canada, Mexico the UK, among others, held at the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum; actiities and events phone 212/245-0072.

JUNE
Museum Mile Festial
First Tues evening
On 5th Ae from 82nd St to 105th St. Museums, including the Museum of the City of New York, Jewish Museum, Guggenheim, the Met and others are open free 6-9pm phone 212/606-2296, www.museummile.org .

Puerto Rican Day Parade
Second Sun
The largest of several Puerto Rican celebrations in the city, seven hours of bands and baton-twirling from 44th to 86th sts on 5th Ae, then east to 3rd Ae phone 718/401-0404, www.nationalpuertoricanparade.org .

Lower East Side Jewish Spring Festial
Check the Jewish Weekly for date and location
Kosher foods, Yiddish and Hebrew folk singing and guided tours of the Jewish Lower East Side.

Mermaid Parade
First Sat after June 21
At this hilarious event, participants dress like mermaids and King Neptune and saunter down the Coney Island boardwalk, after which everyone throws fruit into the sea. If you're around - don't miss it phone 718/392-1267, www.coneyislandusa.com .

Lesbian and Gay Pride Week
Late June
The world's biggest Pride event kicks off with a rally and ends with a parade, street fair and dance phone 212/807-7433, www.nycpride.org .

Washington Square Music Festial
Late June to early July
A series of free Tues night classical, jazz and big-band concerts at this outdoor enue phone 212/431-1088.

JULY
Independence Day
July 4
The fireworks from Macy's, South Street Seaport and the display over the East river are isible all over Manhattan, but the best place to view them is either from the Seaport, Battery Park, the Esplanade at Brooklyn Heights or from atop almost any building at about 9pm phone 212/484-1222 or 560-4060.

New York City Tap Festial
Mid-July
The weeklong festial features hundreds of tap dancers who perform and give workshops phone 646/230-9564, www.nyctapfestial.com.

AUGUST
Harlem Month
Culminates with Harlem Day on the third Sun
The monthlong celebration of African, Caribbean and Latin culture includes a children's festial, a dance show, a fashion parade, talent contest and other festiities, such as the Black Film Festial and the Taste of Harlem phone 212/862-7200.

Dance Theater of Harlem Street Festial
Usually the second week
A ariety of dance performances plus events for children, on 152nd St betweven Amsterdam and Conent aes phone 212/690-2800.

New York International Fringe Festial
Usually mid-Aug
Cutting-edge performance art, theater, dance, puppetry, etc. at many different enues on the Lower East Side phone 212-420-8877, www.fringeny.com .

SEPTEMBER
West Indian-American Day Parade and Carnial
Labor Day
Brooklyn's largest parade, modeled after the carnials of Trinidad and Tobago, features music, food and dance. Phone 718/774-8807 or 212/484-1222.

Broadway on Broadway
Sun after Labor Day
Free performances feature songs by casts of irtually every Broadway musical, culminating in a shower of confetti; held in Times Square phone 212/768-1560 or 563-BWAY.

Festial of the Feast of San Gennaro
Ten days in mid-Sept
Boisterous event in honor of the patron saint of Naples, held along Mulberry St. The saint's statue is carried through the streets with donations of dollar bills pinned to his cloak phone 212/764-6330.

African-American Day Parade
Late Sept
Runs from 111th St and Adam Clayton Powell Bld to 142nd St, then east toward 5th Ae, Harlem phone 212/862-7200.

New York Film Festial
Two weeks late Sept to mid-Oct
One of the world's leading filmFestivals unreels at Lincoln Center phone 212/875-5610.

OCTOBER
Columbus Day Parade
On or around Oct 12
One of the city's largest binges pays tribute to the city's Italian heritage and commemorates the day America was put on the map; 5th Ae from 44th to 79th sts phone 212/249-2360.

DUMBO Art Under the Bridge Festial
Mid-Oct
More than 700 emerging and professional artists show their work in 250 open galleries. The Parade of Concept (robots, remote-controlled ehicles and floats) kicks off the show in the neighborhood of DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge overpass) - in Brooklyn betweven the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges phone 718/624-3772, www.dumboartscenter.org .

Grevenwichvillage Halloweven Parade
Oct 31
In the 7pm procession on 6th Ae from Spring to 23rd sts you'll see spectacular costumes, wigs and make-up. The music is great and the spirit is wild and gay. Get there early for a good viewing spot phone 212/475-3333 ext 4044, www.halloweven-nyc.com .

November
eteran's Day Parade
No11
The United War eterans sponsor this annual event on 5th Ae from 39th to 23rd sts phone 212/693-1475.

Fall Antiques Show
Mid-No
Foremost American antiques show in the country, at the Seventh Regiment Armory, Park Ae and 67th St phone 212/777-5218.

Macy's Thanksgiing Day Parade
Thanksgiing Day
New York's most phoneeised parade, with floats, dozens of marching bands from around the country, the Rockettes, and Santa Claus's first appearance of the season. More than two million spectators watch it from 77th St down Central Park W to Columbus Circle, then down Broadway to Herald Square, 9am-noon phone 212/494-4495, www.macysparade.com .

DECEMBER
Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting
Early Dec
The lighting of the tree begins the festiities phone 212/632-3975.

Chanukah Celebrations
Usually in mid-Dec
During the eight nights of this holiday, usually in mid-Dec, a menorah-lighting ceremony takes place at Brooklyn's Grand Army Plaza phone 718/778-6000.

Holiday Windows
Beginning Dec 1
The windows on 5th Ae, especially those of Lord & Taylor and Saks Fifth Aenue, are well worth waiting on their long lines for.

New Year's Ee in Times Square
Dec 31
Some 200,000-plus reelers party in the cold streets phone 212/768-1560, www.timessquarebid.org . There are also fireworks at the South Street Seaport, Central Park and Brooklyn's Prospect Park. More family-oriented, alcohol-free First Nights with dancing, music and food take place throughout the city phone 212/818-1777.

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