New Yorkers celebrate Dragon Boat Festival with fervor & color

Wrapping a rice dumpling is quite a challenge, especially for a beginner.

"It's honestly harder than we thought, but it's really fun!" said Annie Lin, a Chinese college student, struggling to wrap the string around her "artifact."

"My daughter loves cooking, and I wanted to take this chance to introduce her to the traditional Chinese culture, which I myself didn't know much about either," said Yan Shao, who brought her US-born daughter to the event.

"I get to see glimpses of Chinese culture through my Chinese friends," said Thomas Hasler, an Austrian who came with his Chinese friend Hanming Zeng. "I eat out a lot at Chinese restaurants, but being able to make something has been so much more fun. I enjoy this so much."

"I try to introduce Chinese culture to my friends," said Zeng. "Sometimes I bring them to restaurants like this."