The best things to do for Lunar New Year (a.k.a. Chinese New Year)

Chinatown’s annual Lunar (Chinese) New Year Parade is back on March 1, 2026, with dragon dancing, stunning outfits, martial art performers and more. After you've danced among the firecrackers, make sure to check out other fun things to do in the area such as the best karaoke in Chinatown or delicious Chinese restaurants. 

Head to Chinatown for the Lunar New Year Parade, which heads down Mott Street to Chatham Square to East Broadway toward the Manhattan Bridge, completing on Forsyth Street near Grand Street and Sara D. Roosevelt Park. For more information, visit betterchinatown.com.

The Orchestra Now and conductor Jindong Cai will ring in the Year of the Horse on February 15 at "The Sound of Spring," featuring guest appearances by winds virtuoso Yazhi Guo, plus young performers from the legendary Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and the groundbreaking US-China Music Institute at Bard College. Be sure to arrive up to one hour before curtain for the ever-popular Chinese instrument demonstration and Chinese New Year activities, courtesy of the US-China Music Institute. Check it all out at the Rose Theater of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall. 

NYC's favorite Asian-inspired emporium planned a full line-up to celebrate the Year of the Horse on Tuesday, February 17 at Pearl River Mart's Soho store (452 Broadway).  Starting at 4:30pm, enjoy matcha drinks from Sage Matcha and delicious noodle samples from Mama Lam's, then prepared to be wowed by a showstopping performance from the Wan Chi Ming Hung Gar lion and dragon dance team starting at 5pm. Attendance is free, but registration is appreciated.

Unfriendly ghosts should steer clear on Tuesday, February 17 when the Year of the Horse Lunar New Year Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival takes over Sara D. Roosevelt Park, as hundreds of thousands of firecrackers are lit to welcome the Year of the Horse and ward off evil spirits. In addition to the pyrotechnics, there are lion dances and decorations giveaways, plus craft vendors and food booths where you can get your fill of traditional delicacies. It’s said that the more dumplings you eat at the celebration, the more money you’ll make in the year ahead, so come hungry! 

Dagne Dover is welcoming the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Horse with an electric in-store celebration on Wednesday, February 18 at its Soho boutique (273 Lafayette Street between Prince and Houston Sts). Attendees can expect festive activities, community connection and VIP discounts, plus bites and bevs from favorite Asian-owned brands such as Nom Wah and JUMO. Multifaceted musician Daixa will also be on hand for "a pocket performance rooted in power, focus, and forward movement," says organizers. 

The China Institute is ringing in the Year of the Horse in the biggest way they can: By flying in artists from China, who will lead a plethora of interactive activities perfect for families. The Institute's celebration on February 21 will begin with a lion dance and a music performance by Echos of China Ensemble, followed by a series of experiental stations and interactive workshops. If you're interested in ancient Chinese culture, you'll be able to learn more about fan making, traditional puzzles, lantern riddles, Yuan Bao Tea, and many other activities.

Make sure to check out their hour-by-hour schedule here so that you don't miss any of this action-packed day.

See traditional lion dances and ribbon twirling in this event series hosted at The Shops at Hudson Yards in partnership with the New York Chinese Cultural Center. Free performances will be held every other Saturday through February 22, including Dunhuang dance and Shaolin kung fu. There will also be free lantern-making workshops in partnership with the New York Chinese Cultural Center held on February 4 and 11. As part of the Lunar New Year celebrations, enjoy limited-edition capsule collections and specialty food offerings at participating retailers, including Muji, Eataly Caffe, Tory Burch, Moschino, Marc Jacobs, Rudsak, Marli and more.

Ring in the Year of the Fire Horse and all of its exhilarating energy with the return of Lincoln Center's Lunar New Year celebrations. Taking place at the David Rubenstein Atrium on Sunday, February 22 from 11am to 3pm, the festivities will include dance performances from Tai Look Lion Dance Company, traditional Korean music by Insun Park & Generals, hands-on arts and crafts with Shanghai Museum, a K-pop dance party from Brooklyn-based collective BIAS with DJ KA WAI and Not Shy Dance Crew, a family-friendly storytime session with award-winning author Monique Truong and, of course, plenty of delicious food to savor. 

One of the grooviest Lunar New Year festivities of the year can be found at Flushing Town Hall on February 22, courtesy Tuvergen Band, a Chicago-based folk-fusion trio from Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia. The engaging and educational program will introduce the distinctive musical and cultural traditions of Mongolia, especially throat singing (khöömii), a vocal technique in which a single voice produces multiple tones at once, echoing the layered harmonies of the surrounding environment. Audiences will have the chance to try basic vocal techniques and rhythm exercises, while Flushing Town Hall teaching artist Ling Tang will also demonstrate essential Inner Mongolian dance movements such as horse-riding steps and the use of unique props like chopsticks and wine cups.

To ring in the Year of the Horse, join the Tenement Museum and Think!Chinatown for a special workshop on altar-making. Held on Monday, February 23 from 6pm to 8pm, participants in the workshop will learn about the elements of altars and alter-making and see the newly installed altar in the Museum's garment factory exhibit, which tells the story of the Wongs, a Chinese immigrant family that moved to New York City in 1965. After learning more about the practice of altar-making, you'll then get hands-on guidance from artist Alison Kuo in a craft-making session for a home altar.

Celebrate Lunar New Year with the largest Mahjong night we’ve ever hosted at Time Out Market Union Square.

On February 24 from 5–9pm, we’re teaming up with The New York Games to transform the market into a lively Mahjong party filled with energy, tradition, and community. Whether you’re a seasoned player or completely new to the game, this night is all about coming together, learning, and celebrating the season.

Expect multiple Mahjong tables, welcoming hosts to guide gameplay, and a vibrant, social atmosphere that invites you to jump in, watch, or cheer from the sidelines. Pair the games with great food and drinks from across the market and make a night of it.

What to Expect

• A large-scale Mahjong setup with multiple tables

• Hosts on hand to teach rules and help start games

• A festive Lunar New Year atmosphere

• Full access to food and drinks throughout the market

Free to attend. Games available on a first-come basis.

Get ready for an evening of culture, cuisine, cocktails and celebration at this Lunar New Year Gala at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music. On February 26, the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company will take to the stage for a colorful and acrobatic performance honoring the Year of the Horse, along with live instrumental music from Ahn Trio with Tae Hong Park. Enjoy modern Asian cuisine by catering partner Saffron 59, as well as special apperances by guests like Lori Tan Chinn, Perry Yung and Jamie Guan. 

On Sunday, March 1, Pearl River Mart and Chelsea Market will host their Annual Lunar New Year Extravaganza, welcoming the Year of the Horse with a free, full-day celebration inside the renowned food hall. 

Now in its ninth year, the event will kick off with ribbon dancing from the New York Chinese Cultural Center on the main concourse in front of Pearl River Mart, followed by lion dancing from the Wan Chi Ming Hung Gar lion and dragon dance team. The spirited afternoon will be filled with mahjong lessons, red envelope and chopstick activities with Sylvia Chen (author of Sparkles for Sunny and Tricky Chopsticks), personalized calendar readings from Chinese metaphysics practitioner Julie Huang (creator of the Glow Up Golden calendar), and more.

Food and beverage offerings from popular Pearl River Mart Foods vendors like Mao's Bao, Kimbap Lab, Tea & Milk, and Maxi's Noodle will be available for purchase.

A collaboration between Abrons Arts Center and Wing on Wo’s The W.O.W. Project, "From Chinatown, with Love" honors and supports Chinatown businesses at the start of each Lunar New Year. Along with incentives to explore the neighborhood retailers (such as Jade Crystal Craft, Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, Bok Lei Po Trading and more), this year's collab includes the new exhibition Storefronts as Sites of Cultural Resistance. Running through March 22, the exhibit was designed by Midnight Project and features the Letterform Archive, Cynthia Yuan Cheng & Sophie Wang, Mischelle Moy and Singha Hon, chronicling "interdependence and community support from Chinatown New York to Chinatown San Francisco."