The Great Neck Chinese Association (GNCA) said good-bye to the Year of the Sheep and welcomed in the Year of the Monkey during its Lunar New Year Celebration on Sunday, Jan. 31, at Great Neck North High School.
From 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., family and friends enjoyed social and play time. For the next three-and-a-half hours guests were entertained with a plethora of performances by talented Great Neck residents. Even the youngest community members took to the stage to sing, dance, play music, show off their Chinese yo-yo skills and make the audience laugh.
“The tickets sold out in a week,” said GNCA’s Mimi Hu. Approximately 500 to 600 guests were in attendance, including prominent members of the Asian community as well as local and school officials, such as Senator Jack Martins, Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel, Supervisor Judi Bosworth, Councilwomen Anna Kaplan and Lee Seeman, Park District Commissioners Frank Cilluffo, Robert A. Lincoln, Jr., and Daniel M. Nachmanoff, and Superintendent Dr. Teresa Prendergast and members of the board of education and the United Parent-Teacher Council.
The acts ranged from traditional Chinese drumming, dancing, singing and martial arts to ballet and Latin dance. During the show, Bosworth presented GNCA President Shuna Luk with a Proclamation from the Town of North Hempstead. 
