Chinese New Year 2014 holiday is next week! Find out what to eat in NYC to celebrate the year of the horse the right way this Chinese New Year 2014!

This year's Chinese New Year 2014 falls earlier in the year than usual, on Friday, January 31, and is the year of the horse. There are numerous delicious dishes that are traditionally eaten on Chinese New Year, according to the Associated Press.

Long noodles are eaten to symbolize long life; clams are cooked because they resemble coins, therefore represent prosperity and wealth for the new year. Fish is also eaten on Chinese New Year, because the Chinese word for "fish" sounds similar to the word for "abundance," further encouraging prosperity in the year of the horse. Tangerines are also important because the Chinese word for them is similar to the word for "gold."

"Food has always been very important for the Chinese, especially for the celebration of the new year," Yong Chen, an associate history professor at the University of California, Irvine, told the AP. "Food is one of those commonalities that holds us together as Chinese."

We also have a few suggestions as to how you can celebrate the lunar new year in NYC!

On Friday, January 31, you can attend the Firecracker Ceremony & Cultural Festival, from 11 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. in Roosevelt Park (between Grand & Hester Streets). One of the traditional Chinese New Year activities is to set off firecrackers at midnight to ward off evil spirits and celebrate the arrival of the Lunar New Year, About.com reports. Several organizations in Chinatown organize the Firecracker Ceremony, as it's illegal for individuals to set off fireworks in NYC. There will also be lion dances, drumming and dancing, as well as booths selling traditional Chinese New Year items. After the ceremony, there is a parade through Chinatown that begins at Roosevelt Park.

On Sunday, February 2, you can check out the 15th Annual Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade & Festival, at 1 p.m. The parade starts at Mott/Hester Streets and winds through Chinatown down Mott, along East Broadway, and up Eldridge Street to Forsyth. The parade includes floats, marching bands, lion and dragon dances, musicians, magicians, and acrobats. Over 5,000 people are expected to march in the parade, About.com reports. The parade is expected to conclude at 3 pm, followed by an outdoor cultural festival in Sara D. Roosevelt Park.

You can find out more information here.

Make sure to prepare for cold weather, as these events are outdoors!