The tradition of celebrating the New Year on January 1 was spread around the world by the Roman Empire and European colonial powers, but in many cultures, the beginning of the new year is tied to the phases of the moon.
The Lunar New Year goes by many names – Chūnjié (Spring Festival) in China, Losar in Tibet, Seollal in South Korea, Tết in Vietnam. Variations are found across Asia, with similar celebrations wherever diaspora from these countries reside, including in cities across the USA.
The Lunar New Year is considered one of the most important festivals of the year for Asian communities – celebrated as a time to do away with the negativity of the previous year, welcome in positive influences and make a fresh start for the coming year. Lavish parades, delicious food, lighting firecrackers, hanging lanterns and other activities pay homage to Asia’s rich traditions.
In the US, most celebrations are centered in the Chinatown areas of larger cities. As the festival is tied to the phases of the moon, the date moves annually – in 2025, the main festival falls on January 29, but special events take place from late January to the middle of February.
If you’re looking to celebrate the Lunar New Year in the US, here are some of the best places to experience this joyous opportunity to welcome the new and the good.
1. San Francisco, California
As you might expect from the city with the oldest Chinatown in the US, San Francisco throws one of the oldest and biggest Lunar New Year celebrations in the country, a tradition that kicked off way back in the 1860s.
Originally held in the city’s Chinatown, today the event is not just a day of celebration, but a multi-day extravaganza. The main attraction is the grand parade, held downtown starting from the corner of 2nd and Market on February 15 at 5:15 pm.
Highlights of the parade include traditional music and costumes and an enormous illuminated dragon. The wider festival, which runs from January 29 until the day of the parade, includes a street fair and a Miss Chinatown pageant, both of which take place in San Francisco’s famous Chinatown neighborhood.
Don’t miss: The architecture of San Francisco’s Chinatown – it’s beautiful and worth a trip even without a festival. Swing by the iconic Dragon’s Gate before making your way down to the Chinese Historical Society of America to learn more about the history of the city’s Asian American community.
Further afield, take a short ferry ride to Angel Island in San Francisco Bay, sometimes called the Ellis Island of the West Coast. It was here that early Asian migrants were vetted before entry to the United States; today it’s a place to walk or picnic with a view.
2. New York City, New York
New York City is home to the country’s biggest Chinatown, and there are several big Lunar New Year celebrations, with nearly every borough hosting events. But the main spectacular is held in Manhattan, in the heart of the city’s Chinatown at the south end of the island.
The event has a street fair vibe, with vendors selling foods and festival-themed trinkets and colorful performances right across the neighborhood, including the main parade on February 15, which starts at 1pm on the corner of Mott and Canal.
There are additional events around town, such as a performance at the New York Philharmonic on February 11 and the Firecracker Ceremony at Sara D Roosevelt Park on January 29.
Don’t miss: While New York’s Chinatown is famously vibrant, the epicenter of Asian-American culture in New York today is actually the borough of Queens. Take the subway to Downtown Flushing and stroll along Main St to check out the many Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese businesses here. This area also holds its own Lunar New Year festival and parade on January 29.
3. Houston, Texas
Chinese communities in Texas host a number of enthusiastic Lunar New Year celebrations, particularly in the city of Houston. In 2025, the day-long Texas Lunar Festival will be held on February 1 at the Alief Marshall Center for Advanced Careers on Richmond Ave, with events kicking off at 10:30am. Performances from the festival are screened on the local TV channel STV 21.8.
The city’s Chinese Community Center on Home Park Dr will be hosting its own celebration on February 1, with various cultural activities and vendors selling festival foods and goods marking the Year of the Snake, starting at 10am. There’s another event at the Asia Society of Texas with lion dances and theatrical performances at their Southmore Blvd premises from 10am on February 1; register ahead for one of the two timed entry slots.
Don’t miss: If you can’t make the main festival event, the Asia Society of Texas is still worth visiting for artistic, educational and business-oriented exhibitions, performances and events that showcase and celebrate the diverse perspectives of the city’s Asian American community.
4. Boston, Massachusetts
Boston has the third largest Chinatown neighborhood in the country and the city hosts an equally large celebration for the Lunar New Year. In 2025, the festivities include traditional lion dances, a beauty pageant, and various arts and crafts demonstrations, starting at 10am on February 9 at Phillips Sq, on the corner of Harrison Ave and Beach St. Boston’s Chinatown is pedestrian-only during the festivities.
Don’t miss: To see more of Boston’s Chinatown, enter via the China Trade Gate at Beach St and sample the restaurants on the blocks running west, then see what events, exhibitions and walking tours are being hosted by the Chinese Historical Society of New England on Boylston St.
5. Spokane, Washington
The Lunar New Year celebrations in Spokane, Washington, had a long hiatus from 1933 to 2022, but the event is now a firm fixture on the city calendar. In 2025, the city’s main celebration kicks off at noon on February 1 at the Spokane Convention Center, with performances, food, art exhibitions and a big fireworks display in the evening from 7pm.
The first 500 visitors through the doors on the day get a free swag bag. Also look out for events organized by the Spokane Chinese Association; there’s a Lunar New Year fair with music and cultural performances at the Fox Theater on February 8, starting at 1pm.
6. Chicago, Illinois
Chicago has attracted migrant communities from across the globe, and the city hosts two big parades to celebrate the Lunar New Year, as well as several other activities highlighting and celebrating the city’s Asian American communities.
The Chicago Chinatown Community Foundation hosts a lively parade on February 9, starting at 1pm at the intersection of 24th St and Wentworth Ave in the heart of Chinatown. A second parade arranged by Uptown United and the Uptown Chamber of Commerce takes place on February 8, starting at 1pm on Argyle and Winthrop in Uptown Chicago.
In honor of the holiday, the city will also be hosting a free film screening by Asian Pop-up Cinema on February 2.
7. Disneyland, Anaheim, California
California’s Disneyland theme park makes a big deal of many seasonal events, and Lunar New Year is no exception. In 2025, the park will be laying on themed events, performances and special menus from January 17 to February 16. Parades will feature Disney characters in traditional Korean costume, and there’s a Mulan-themed procession from Hollywood Land to Paradise Gardens on select dates, free to park visitors. Look out for themed arts and crafts opportunities for children.
8. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia was another important gateway city for Asian Americans, and the city hosts a string of events linked to the Lunar New Year. The celebrations started January 10 with a special performance by the Philadelphia Orchestra, followed by events at the Penn Museum on January 25.
Later, there are two Lunar New Year parades in Chinatown, both featuring music, costumes and lion dances by the Philadelphia Suns dance troupe. The evening parade starts at 10pm at the intersection of 10th and Spring on January 28, while a family-friendly daytime parade follows the same route on February 2 at 11am.
Other celebrations include food and performances at Dilworth Park on February 1, starting at 5pm (you can go ice-skating at the Rothman Orthopedics Ice Rink before the event).
Don’t miss: Even if you can’t make the events, visit the city’s Chinatown to get a look at the beautiful Chinatown Friendship Gate, which was created by artist Sabrina Soong. Also in Chinatown is the Asian Arts Initiative on Vine St, with an art gallery and theater showcasing a variety of artists from the Asian American community.
