The annual Lunar New Year parade in Chinatown marked the start of the Year of the Horse, marking a significant event for the Chinese people. The celebration, organized by Chinatown Main Street in coordination with the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association of New England, featured about 10 groups performing lion dances throughout the neighborhood. The lion dance is most commonly performed during the Lunar Year but also appears at weddings, birthdays, and major events. The founder and director of Gund Kwok, the first all-women Asian lion and dragon dance troupe in the U.S., Cheng Imm Tan, said the lion dance brings in prosperity and good luck in the year ahead. After each performance, the groups moved down the block, delivering another dance and setting off firecrackers.