New York's 42nd Korean Parade and Festival fills Koreatown with music and food

Midtown Manhattan turned into a celebration of Korean culture on Oct. 3 when the 42nd annual New York City Korean Parade and Festival took over K-Town. The Korean American Association of Greater New York organized the event just a week after the Chuseok harvest holiday.

Food and games on 32nd Street

The festival opened at 10 a.m. at 32nd Street and Sixth Avenue. Stands sold bungeoppang fish-shaped pastries and kimbap and bulgogi along with kimchi and other banchan. Visitors could shop for hanbok and try traditional games such as yutnori and gonggi and tuho. They could also flip paper tiles in ddakji which became famous worldwide through the series Squid Game.

A small stage at the east end of the block hosted traditional Korean music and dance and K-pop acts. The program also included taekwondo demos and a children's choir and a hanbok fashion contest.

The parade

The parade started near 38th Street and Sixth Avenue at noon and wrapped up by 2 p.m. Floats and marchers moved through K-Town while BTS songs including "Dynamite" and "Arirang" played along the route. Grand marshals led the procession and spectators lined the avenue to cheer.

The festivities wrapped up at 6 p.m. The day gave the Korean American community a chance to share its food and music and traditions with neighbors and visitors from across the city.