10 Best Destinations To Celebrate The Lunar New Year

The Lunar New Year is often mistakenly referred to as the Chinese New Year. While China does indeed have the largest population by some margin among the countries that traditionally celebrate the festival, there are other great countries where you can enjoy this unique festival. Vietnam, South Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore — among others — also wholeheartedly indulge in this annual event. 

In fact, the Chinese call the Lunar New Year "Chūn Jié" (Spring Festival), while in Vietnam it is known as "Tết." And while many traditions are similar, others are quite distinct. Even the zodiac signs differ, with the Vietnamese use of the cat instead of the rabbit and the buffalo over the ox. However, the Lunar New Year in 2025 is the Year of the Snake, or the Wood Snake, to be more precise. The last Year of the Snake was in 1965, and unlike in the West, this serpentine reptile symbolizes rebirth, good fortune, intelligence, and longevity.

You can celebrate the Lunar New Year in many cities across the U.S. in 2025. From the East Coast to the West Coast, Chinatowns, cultural centers, and community festivals all celebrate with traditional parades of dancing lions, dragons, firecrackers, lucky red envelopes, dumplings, and colorful lanterns. So, find out what's going on, get down to your nearest Chinatown or favorite Asian restaurant, and indulge in some celebrations of festivity and fortune. This year, the Lunar New Year falls on January 29, but the festival traditionally lasts for 23 days, and events also take place in many U.S. cities throughout this period. 

The Lunar New Year Parade in San Francisco started way back in 1849. It showcased the city's colorful Chinese culture with processions down Grant Avenue. Since 1958, the parade has been managed by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and is now a month-long affair featuring floats, lion dances, firecrackers, cultural performances, art projects, and even the Miss Chinatown USA Pageant & Coronation Ball. This celebration of Chinese culture is the biggest of its kind in the world and is now televised and witnessed by millions of attending spectators and viewers at home. 

Another fabulous event is the Chinese New Year Flower Market Fair. In China, New Year flower markets date back to the 14th century during the Ming dynasty, while it has become something of a custom in places like Vietnam in the last century or so. Much like the Vietnamese tradition, the San Francisco flower market is held the weekend before the Lunar New Year. It features around 120 booths offering blooming flowers, traditional fruits, and candies. You also get traditional performances, including folk dancing, opera, drums, and dragons, and it all takes place on Pacific Street below Grant Avenue. 

Other key events include the Lunar New Year Basketball Jamboree and the Chinatown YMCA 47th annual Chinese New Year Run. There's also the San Francisco Symphony's annual Lunar New Year Concert, which blends the traditional with the contemporary. For the younger crowd, there's a California Academy of Sciences event called NightLife: Lunar Underground. It combines spectacles like LED lion dances with traditional heritage, such as the Mahjong House. You can also browse for traditional handicrafts or enjoy drinks and delicious Chinese dishes in the night market while listening to the thrilling sounds of Taiwan's very own DJ Mish.

With as many as nine Chinatowns found throughout New York City, the Big Apple is one of the best places to celebrate the Lunar New Year. The Chinatown in Manhattan is the oldest and most historically significant, a fascinating area that was established in the late 19th century and grew as immigrants fled discrimination on the West Coast. Despite the Chinese Exclusion Act, which banned further Chinese immigrants for a decade, the community thrived after World War II. 

Today, it is a bustling and densely packed neighborhood, and it hosts the 27th Lunar New Year Firecracker Ceremony & Cultural Festival in Sara D. Roosevelt Park. It takes place on the day of the event (January 29), but the festivities don't end there. On February 16, the annual NYC Lunar New Year Parade celebrates the Year of the Snake in style. Dragon dances, cultural performances, and food vendors all snake their way from Mott and Canal Streets to Grand Street near Sara D. Roosevelt Park.

Other events include the Lunar New Year Celebration at Queens Botanical Garden with tai chi and kung fu performances, arts and crafts, and lion dances entertaining a family-friendly crowd from noon to 4 p.m. on February 8. The Lincoln Center has a free party of live performances, including traditional Korean music and dance, while Pulse Events hosts a Spring Festival 2025 Lunar New Year Celebration at Avant Gardner in Brooklyn. It's a three-day electronic music event with international DJs, including the aptly named DJ Snake and rising American-Taiwanese superstar JVNA.

The Chinatown area in Houston is now increasingly being referred to as Asiatown to reflect its growing diversity. The area is home to not only many ethnic Chinese, but also Vietnamese, Korean, Taiwanese, and other communities, all ready to celebrate the Year of the Snake together. This area was established over 40 years ago, having grown from a small Chinatown in EaDo (the eastern edge of downtown) into a 6-mile hub along Bellaire Boulevard. With such a blend of communities from the East, you can imagine the cuisine on offer in the district. 

However, it's not only a culinary destination, and anyone venturing here to celebrate is in for a treat. January 26 sees the cultural and entertainment venue POST Houston celebrate with free, family-friendly events. They include the obligatory lion dances and cultural performances, as well as an Asian pop-up market serving traditional Lunar NY dishes. Another family-friendly event is the Lunar New Year at Children's Museum Houston. It includes the regular festivities as well as craft workshops on January 25. The Houston Space Center offers up unique experiences in the form of hands-on science experiments and lunar-themed activities on February 1 and 2. February 1 also sees the Chinese Community Center continue its long-standing traditions of diverse performances, cultural crafts, and bustling bazaars. Additionally, the televised Texas Lunar Festival enters its 29th year with live performances. 

Those seeking something a little different might enjoy the Anime Matsuri Mini Convention and Lunar New Year Celebration at the Sugar Land Marriott Hotel and Town Square. It celebrates anime and Japanese pop culture through performances, food, art, and cosplay on February 1 and 2. To enhance the whole experience, the hotel is offering some generous discounts on rooms to anyone attending.

The Chinese New Year Parade in Boston has been taking place for over 70 years now. With extensive lion and dragon dances with relentless rhythms of thrashing cymbals, banging drums, and exploding firecrackers, it's the largest and most significant event to take place in the city's Chinatown. These dance troupes perform to bring luck and prosperity to everyone. Traditional rituals, such as Choy Cheng, where the lions eat symbolic offerings of lettuces and oranges and then throw them back into the audience, are intended to spread blessings and good fortune. Attendees can enjoy simultaneous performances throughout the streets of Boston's Chinatown. Peek down alleys, explore the avenues of the pedestrianized downtown area, and enjoy the rhythmic celebration of cultural heritage on February 9. The parade starts at Phillips Square on the corner of Harrison Avenue and Beach Street at 10 a.m.

More free celebrations take place on February 9 at the China Trade Center on Boylston Street. This indoor event complements the outdoor parade and offers a family-friendly atmosphere with more performances, singing, and, of course, lion dances. At the same location, the Chinese New Year Pop-Up Market offers authentic Chinese merchandise, decorations, red lanterns, and traditional goods between January 25 and 28. 

On January 30, the Museum of Fine Arts extends the festivities with art from Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese cultures to showcase the cross-cultural significance of the Lunar New Year. A mix of exhibits, such as historical Chinese frescoes and demonstrations of the "gōng fū chá" tea ceremony, are complemented by a variety of performances ranging in style from Vietnamese flat hat dances to Korean traditional music.

Chicago brings in the Year of the Snake in not one but two prominent cultural hubs during the Lunar New Year. On the city's North Side is Argyle, located in the Uptown residential area. It became a vibrant cultural hub in the '70s when an influx of immigrants from Southeast Asia settled in the area. This gave rise to its nickname — "Asia on Argyle" — and the area is renowned for its diverse cuisines and cultural events. The Lunar New Year Celebration kicks off at 1 p.m. on February 8 at the intersection of Argyle Street and Sheridan Road and features cultural performances and community activities throughout the day.

On the South Side, you'll find Chicago's Chinatown. It evolved from a late 19th-century community on Clark Street into a cultural hub in Armour Square and remains a centerpiece of Chinese-American culture — it is considered one of the best Chinatowns in all of America. The Chinatown Parade falls on February 9 at 1 p.m.. On top of the ubiquitous dancing lions and dragons, the event also promises colorful floats, marching bands, and other groups. It begins at the intersection of 24th Street and Wentworth Avenue and makes its way northward to Cermak and Wentworth.

Other events worth considering in Chicago include the Global Connections' Lunar New Year at Navy Pier on February 1. It takes place at the Aon Grand Ballroom and promises interactive and family-friendly festivities for free. For foodies, the Hing Kee Restaurant in Chinatown is offering its Chinese New Year Dumpling Making Dinner for the 20th year running from January 25 to February 2. It combines hands-on "jiǎo zi" making with a festive family-style dining experience and ensures everyone can try these delicious traditional dumplings during the Lunar New Year.

While the 126th Golden Dragon Parade has been postponed until further notice due to the devastating Greater Los Angeles wildfires, there are still places to take in the Lunar New Year. In typical Californian fashion, one of the best locations to celebrate in the Los Angeles area is the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim. It's the ideal alternative choice to bring the kids, and festivities take place at Disney California Adventure from January 25 to February 16.

Highlights include Mulan's Lunar New Year Procession of dancers, dragons, and photo opportunities with costumed characters. Food offerings are abundant and inspired by Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese cuisines. At night, the World of Color show lights up and celebrates Disney's storytelling legacy. It's preceded by "Hurry Home—A Lunar New Year Celebration," which follows the heartwarming tale of Little Lantern and his adventure home for the New Year. 

If Mickey isn't what you're looking for, Huntington Library's stunning Chinese Garden plays host to cultural performances from martial arts to music from Korean, Cambodian, and Chinese artists. You'll also see calligraphy demonstrations, floral art displays, Chinese opera, interactive family activities, and a Lego display of the Garden of Flowing Fragrance. Photo opportunities abound, and live music is performed throughout. However, spaces are limited and reservations are required, so book fast if it's something you'd love to see.

Philly's Chinatown began as a small enclave in the 1870s after Chinese migrants fled to the city following violence in the West. It then grew into a family-oriented community focused on business and culture. Over the years, residents have preserved the neighborhood by resisting urban renewal projects, and today it serves as a cultural hub for the city's diverse Asian population. However, it is one of America's top endangered historical sites.

It plays host to no less than two Lunar New Year parades. January 28 sees the first celebration. A late-night event that starts at 10 p.m. at the intersection of 10th and Spring Streets. A day parade takes place on February 2 at 11 a.m. and follows the exact same route, and both parades will feature lion dances, drumming, and firecrackers for festive energy and good fortune. 

Other exciting events to celebrate the Year of the Wood Snake include the Philadelphia Orchestra's Lunar New Year Celebration. This high-profile event promises to blend classical masterpieces with traditional Chinese styles. Over at the Penn Museum, the 44th Annual Lunar New Year Celebration brings a day of storytelling, art, music, and dance. Highlights include traditional Chinese ribbon, Korean fan dancing, and a K-pop performance, all culminating in a lion dance finale.

Seattle's Chinatown dates back to the 1800s and has overcome significant challenges, such as relocations after the Great Seattle Fire of 1889 and the Jackson Regrade. The latter relocated the community to its current location, an area now known as the Chinatown-International District (C-ID). This rebranding is down to the neighborhood becoming home to a mix of Asian communities beyond its original Chinese population. A visit here offers a rich array of Asian cuisine and unique retail, as well as serene parks, historic landmarks, and bustling businesses. 

The district hosts its annual Lunar New Year Celebration on Saturday, February 22. Traditional lion and dragon dances and cultural performances will take place on stage at Hing Hay Park. Vendors will line up along South King Street offering handmade crafts, traditional decorations, and cultural souvenirs, among many other treasures. And foodies aren't left out either, as more than 40 Chinatown-ID businesses will contribute dishes to the event's tantalizing Food Walk.

Other notable events include the Lunar New Year Family Festival on February 1 at the Seattle Asian Art Museum. It features lion dances, festival-inspired stories, and community sculpture making, all rounded off with Chinese dumplings and Japanese edamame. The Lunar New Year Night Market follows on February 8 at Magnuson Park and offers an adults-only evening of goods and treats from AAPI-owned businesses.

Established in the 1990s and initially a struggling commercial district, the Las Vegas Chinatown has grown into a thriving hub for Asian businesses. If you're in the most exciting city on the planet during the Year of the Snake festivities, this is the place to come for authentic Asian cuisine. Whether it's Japanese, Vietnamese, or Chinese, this area is renowned for some of the best noodles, curries, and dumplings the country has to offer. You may even be forgiven for thinking you are in one of the best destinations in Asia for foodies.

When the last of the dumplings are polished off, there are plenty of Lunar New Year events to keep you entertained. The Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens is putting on a stunning display featuring a 28-foot floral serpent to ring in the Year of the Snake. This free exhibit also features a 30-foot temple inspired by the ancient Six Banyan Trees temple in Guangzhou, China. It's adorned with thousands of radiant cherry blossoms, trees, and plants, as well as red and gold lanterns. A dragon and lion dance performed by a martial arts troupe from the internationally renowned Yau Kung Moon School takes place here on February 1 at 6:30 p.m.

The Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian hosts a lively celebration between January 29 and February 1. Traditional dances will be performed every day at St. Mark's Square from 3 p.m., while a ceremonial lion blessing takes place on February 2. There are also a couple of annual street parades to enjoy. The Vegas Spring Festival Parade on February 1 runs from 11 a.m. to noon in the Fremont East Entertainment District. Cultural performances continue until 3 p.m. in the Downtown Container Park, while Downtown Summerlin brings its parade to the party on January 29 at 6 p.m.

The Chinatown Historic District in Downtown Honolulu is rooted in mid-19th-century Chinese immigration. Subsequent arrivals of Japanese, Korean, and Southeast Asian laborers helped fuel its transformation into a bustling economic and cultural center. This was despite devastating fires, a plague outbreak, and periods of economic decline (who says it's the world's safest city?). Historic architecture, busy markets, authentic restaurants, and a thriving arts and nightlife scene make this district a must-see area for anyone visiting the island of Oahu while ringing in the Year of the Snake.

While the major parade in Chinatown may have already taken place on January 25, there are plenty of other festive events packed into the Honolulu calendar. They take place throughout the city at centers and malls, with lion dances, calligraphy, traditional foods, martial arts, and firecrackers on offer at places like Waikīkī Beach Walk and the Windward Mall between January 26 and February 8.

On January 29, the Royal Hawaiian Center is host to lion dances, while on February 9, the Wah Ngai Lion Dance Association ups the proceedings to an acrobatic performance. At the Ala Moana Center from January 29 to February 2, you can attach your wishes to the center's Wishing Wall, and on February 1, the lion dancers take to pole jumping to thrill the crowds. You can feed the lions lucky red envelopes at SALT at Our Kaka'ako. Grand performances of ancient martial arts and appearances by recent Miss Chinatown Hawaii Queens and Princesses also feature at this cultural and commercial hub in the Kakaʻako district of the city.