Lunar New Year is approaching. Lion dances, firecracker ceremonies, parades — New Yorkers can enjoy a variety of cultural activities across the five boroughs of NYC to celebrate this grand festival in Asian cultures.
Unlike the western New Year, Lunar New Year typically falls a few weeks after January 1, based on a lunisolar calendar. For many Asian countries, including China, Vietnam, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore, Lunar New Year is one of the most important festivals of the year.
Though some traditions are shared to celebrate this festival, others can differ depending on each country’s cultural identity.
For example, the Chinese New Year, also called the “Spring Festival,” starts on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023, and will last 15 days. This is also the Year of the Rabbit according to the Chinese animal zodiac. For the Vietnamese, Lunar New Year is called Tết, short for Tết Nguyên Đán, and it also begins on Jan. 22 this year. According to the Vietnamese zodiac, 2023 is the Year of the Cat.
Here is a guide to celebrating Lunar New Year in New York City. Mark your calendar and join in the fantastic festival celebrations with your friends and families!
Friday, January 20, 2023
Long Island City Lunar New Year Celebration
Date: Jan. 20- Feb. 19
Location: Long Island City
Ticket: No admission tickets are required
The LIC Lunar New Year Celebration returns this January! The campaign celebrates Long Island City’s vast Asian/Asian-American community, provides a festive and enjoyable experience for residents and visitors of all ages, and is a great way to “keep dollars local.”
The 2023 program includes a month of promotions and events from 50+ local businesses and organizations, ranging from traditional red envelope surprise giveaways to special menus and cocktails (and even a taproom-only beer release), to family-friendly mask-making and “zodiac dance movement” workshops.
Add to this film screenings, a staycation deal with a hotel, and even a “Bubble Tea Bingo” promotion with Yelp, featuring 10 different businesses. More details
Saturday, January 21, 2023
Family Art Project: Fan for Lunar New Year!
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Wave Hill House (in Wave Hill), Bronx
Ticket: Free
Celebrate the start of the Year of the Rabbit by learning about rabbits and their role in the Chinese zodiac. Afterward, assemble and decorate a fan inspired by these unique animals. More details.
Lunar New Year Parade in Flushing
Time: 11:00 a.m.
Location: Flushing
Ticket: Free
March with the Flushing Chinese Business Association. All are welcome to join this warm and friendly celebration.
Parade Route: 37th Ave. to Union Street; NYPD 109 Precinct & 39th Ave. to Sanford Ave.; Main Street to 39th Ave. to Queens Crossing. Twenty floats and 50 groups will join the parade. More details.
Year of the Rabbit Community Art & Guided Winter Walk
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 Main Street, Flushing, NY 11355
Ticket: $10 Non-Member / $8 Member
The family-friendly winter walk shows a community-created display for the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday and explores the park’s 39 acres on an outdoor winter walk! Recommended for ages 5 and up. More details.
The Met’s Festival Program – Lunar New Year Festival: The Year of the Rabbit
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Location: The Met Fifth Avenue, 1000 5th Ave., New York, NY 10028
Ticket: All activities are free with Museum admission, and no registration is required. Admission is free for members and kids under 12. For New York state residents and NY, NJ, and CT students, the amount you pay is up to you.
May art bring you good fortune! The Metropolitan Museum of Art will host performances, interactive activities, and artist-led workshops for all ages. More details.
Lunar New Year 2023 Photo Exhibition: This is Home
Time: Exhibition: Saturday, Jan. 21 – Sunday, Feb. 26, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Opening Reception: Saturday, Jan. 21, 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Location: Flushing Town Hall Gallery, 137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing, NY 11354
Ticket: Free. RSVP needed
“This Is Home” tells stories of the AAPI community in New York City and abroad: how they live, work, love, and when needed, stand up for what they believe.
While the Lunar New Year is a celebration of renewal with hearts full of hope for health and prosperity in the year ahead, photographers Janice Chung, An Rong Xu and Cindy Trinh show there is also beauty in the daily lives of this community, and in the city they call home.
The past few years have been difficult with increased violence and racism against Asian American in New York City during the pandemic. This exhibition celebrates the AAPI community’s resiliency in facing those challenges and borrows from one of the protest signs pictured, We Are Stronger Together. More details.
Celebrate Lunar New Year at the Seaport
Time: Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023 – Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023
Location: Pier 17, 89 South Street, Manhattan
Ticket: Free, RSVP needed for workshops
Schedule:
Jan. 21:
12:30 p.m.: a traditional Lion Dance will begin outside of the Tin Building and wind its way to the Heineken Riverdeck on the north side of Pier 17.
1:00, 2:00, 3:00 p.m.: free Chinese calligraphy workshops ( in-person) at 12 Fulton Street
1:00 – 5:00 p.m.: free Nautical Chinese lion chain workshops ( in-person) at 12 Fulton Street
Jan. 22:
1:00 – 5:00 p.m.: free Nautical Chinese lion chain workshops ( in-person) at 12 Fulton Street. More details.
Lunar New Year: Paper Lanterns Workshop
Time: 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Location: Lewis H. Latimer House, Queens
Ticket: Free
Join Hannah Elliot for a reading of “Lunar New Year.” A lantern-making workshop pays tribute to the Lantern. More details.
Glow Cultural Center Lunar New Year Events
Time: 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Location: Glow Cultural Center, 133-29 41st Ave, Flushing, NY 11355 (1st Floor)
Ticket: Free
Celebrate Lunar New Year with Glow Cultural Center by attending one of the best traditional Chinese cultural activities! Play Chinese YoYo and enjoy free arts and crafts workshops. All ages are welcome, so bring your friends and family! In addition, GCC will host three other events and a Lunar New Year cultural fair!
Schedule:
Jan. 22: 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Nursery Rhymes with Li Changlin. Ages 3-10 are all welcome
Jan. 26: 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Well-known Chinese classical dance Dunhuang Dance. All ages welcome
Jan. 28: 10:30 am -12:00 p.m. Classical Dance. All ages welcome
Feb.4: 11:00 a.m. – 5 p.m. Chinese Lunar New Year Cultural Fair in Flushing.
Celebrate Lunar New Year with Culture Lab LIC
Time: 4:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Location: The Plaxall Gallery, 5-25 46th Ave. Queens, NY 11101
Ticket: Free, limited capacity and must RSVP
Join Culture Lab LIC for traditional Chinese music, snacks and games! A free concert by Cyber East starts at 9 p.m. Cyber East is the collaboration of artists Sashenka and ADÀI. Sashenka is an Indie musician with a futuristic vision, who makes electronic, synth wave, synthpop to explore the possibilities of Chinese vocal and niche electronic music. ADÀI is an ElectroPop producer, DJ, singer, and songwriter in NYC/Beijing.
Admission to the event is offered free to the community but attendees must show proof of RSVP. More details.
Sunday, January 22, 2023
25th New Year Firecracker Ceremony & Cultural Festival
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Location: Sara D. Roosevelt Park at Grand Street, Manhattan
Ticket: Free
As an annual featured event celebrating Lunar New Year, Better Chinatown Society lights hundreds of thousands of firecrackers to welcome the Year of the Rabbit and ward off evil spirits in a grand style. The lively event comprises dragon and lion dancers, well-wishers, drummers, and craft and food vendors. Arrive early if you want to get a good spot! More details.
Monday, January 23, 2023
Online Chinese New Year Party for Kids!
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Location: Online event
Ticket: Free, must RSVP
Let’s celebrate the Lunar New Year with the librarians at the Richmondtown & Great Kills Libraries on Google Meet! Participants interested in completing the craft portion of this program will need a paper plate, colored paper, scissors, crayons, and glue or tape.
Best for kids ages 5 and up and caregivers. Both the parent or caregiver and the child must be present during the program; unaccompanied adults or children will be asked to leave the program. You must register with your email address to receive the link to participate. More details.
For more Lunar New Year events by New York Public Library, please visit here.
Tuesday, January 24, 2023
Lunar New Year Storytime
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Location: St. Agnes Library, 444 Amsterdam Ave. (between West 81st and West 82nd Streets), New York, NY 10024
Ticket: Free
A special bilingual story and music session with Ya Ya Preschool celebrates the Year of the Rabbit. During the session, children will listen to a story about Nian beast in Mandarin and English and learn why people put up red decorations during Lunar New Year. Music and movement activities will be weaved into the story. It’s a perfect opportunity for grownups and children to celebrate the Lunar New Year, sing and move around with their little ones while picking up a word or two in Mandarin! More details.
Wednesday, January 25, 2023
Celebrate Lunar New Year with Atlantic Terminal + New York Chinese Cultural Center
Time: 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Location: Atlantic Terminal Mall, 139 Flatbush Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11217
Ticket: Free
Traditional Chinese and Lion Dance Performances, Sugar Painting Demonstration + Giveaway, Festive Music, Raffles & More.
Event Schedule: 15-minute traditional dance performances at 3:00 p.m., 3:45 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.; sugar painting demonstration at 3:00 p.m. & 4:00 p.m. More details.
Virtual: MOCA TALKS with Joanna C. Lee and Ken Smith – Chinese Almanac: Year of the Rabbit
Time: 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Location: Online event hosted by Museum of Chinese in America
Ticket: Free
January 25 — the fourth day of the Year of the Rabbit — is considered an auspicious day: a day to welcome the Kitchen God as he returns from heaven to earth. Families burn incense and light candles to welcome the gods, and prepare fruits, alcohol, fish, chicken, and pork for their meals on this day. Authors Joanna C. Lee and Ken Smith will talk about their Pocket Chinese Almanac, a book relating day-by-day forecasts deeply rooted in Chinese culture. More details.
Unfortunately, the tickets for this year’s MOCA Lunar New Year Family Festival are sold out. However, the museum has many Lunar New Year events to come. Read for more information.
Saturday, January 28, 2023
Celebrate Lunar New Year at Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Location: 145 Brooklyn Ave., Brooklyn NY 11213
Ticket: Child under 1, $0; Child over 1 and adult, $13; Grandparent, $12; discounted tickets for museum members and community and corporate partners
Join the museum to celebrate the Lunar New Year by learning about the traditions of the Lunar New Year through storytelling, live music, calligraphy workshops, and a rooftop lion dance parade led by the Chinatown Community Young Lions. More details.
Lunar New Year “the Year of the Rabbit”
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Location: Sunset Park Recreation Center, 4200 7th Ave, Brooklyn NY 11232
Ticket: Free
Join the Chinese-American Planning Council, Parent-Child Relationship Association and community members to celebrate the Lunar New Year! Activities include traditional lion dance, martial arts, Tai Chi, performances, calligraphy, children games, rabbit craft workshops, photo booths, Lunar New Year trivia, health and community resources, book giveaways and raffle. The first 500 attendees will receive a lucky gift bag!
Miffy Presents Lunar New Year at Queens Botanical Garden
Time: 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location: 43-50 Main St., Flushing, NY 11355
Ticket: Free. Advance registration is recommended; walk-ins are welcome. $5 suggested donation
Celebrate the Year of the Rabbit with Miffy, the globally beloved bunny! Come for lion dance performances, zodiac crafts, demonstrations, storytime, a lucky plant sale! More details.
Lunar New Year Weekend Fair
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (same time on January, 29, 2023)
Location: East Broadway Mall, 88 E. Broadway, New York, NY 10002
Ticket: No tickets required
Welcome to Chinatown is hosting a Lunar New Year Fair! Save the date: 1/28 -1/29 at East Broadway Mall. The lineup includes shopping with Banh by Lauren, Butterboy Baking Co., Dawang, SUBLIMA Jewelry, Ga Ma Diam Goods; workshops with Akki-Lab, Anna Ye Tea, and Subtle Asian Baking; Meet Chinatown Scavenger Hunt. RSVP to stay up to date on the fair happenings and other Lunar New Year festivities in Chinatown. More details.
The Sound of Spring, a Chinese New Year Concert
Time: 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Location: Rose Theater, Jazz at Lincoln Center. 10 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10023
Ticket: $25 – $100
Now in its fourth year, “The Sound of Spring” is an authentic Chinese New Year concert specially selected for the people of New York, with a program featuring the beloved Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto, along with other festive works to welcome in the year of the Rabbit. More details.
Sunday, January 29, 2023
Lunar New Year Celebration Parade in Brooklyn
Time: 11 a.m.
Location: 18 Ave. & 65th St., Brooklyn
Ticket: Free
Join the parade hosted by the Chinese American Social Services Center and local community members to celebrate the Lunar New Year! Lion dance, Chinese New Year greetings, drumming and a Chinese costume “Qipao” show will make the cultural experience fun!
Chinese Theatre Works: Hao Bang-ah, Rabbit! Budaixi-style Puppetry with Live Music
Time: Main Performances: 1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m. (40 min each); Post-Performance Workshops: 1:45 p.m., 3:45 p.m. (45 min each)
Location: Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing, NY 11354
Ticket: Performance ONLY: $15/$10 for members, seniors, students and children under 12. Performance PLUS Workshop: $22/$17 for members, seniors, students and children under 12. All ages are welcome. Workshop space is limited (25 participants max)
“Hao Bang Ah!” is a common Chinese expression meaning “Great!” or “Well done!” Each year, Chinese Theatre Works celebrates the Lunar New Year season with an original “budaixi” (traditional Chinese glove-puppet) production that features the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac. This year’s production stars the Rabbit, who will preside over a jolly selection of wild puppet skits, dances, popular songs and well-known Chinese sayings celebrating the wit and wisdom of the Zodiac animals.
Sing-alongs, games, and hands-on post-show demonstrations will make the Chinese bilingual cultural experience accessible to even the youngest audience members! More details.
Lunar New Year Celebration at Queens Museum
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location: Queens Museum, New York City Building, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, NY 11368
Ticket: Free. RSVP recommended
Celebrate Lunar New Year 2023 with folk dances, Lion Dance, Kung fu demonstrations, and traditional arts and crafts as the New York Chinese Cultural Center (NYCCC) returns to Queens Museum with its signature program.
The event will feature a 45-minute performance program from professional artists and students of NYCCC’s School of the Arts, as well as a hands-on Chinese calligraphy and ink brush painting workshop for kids and adults. Queens Museum’s education programs will offer all-ages art-making workshops on rabbit paper bag puppet making in English and Spanish, and a lantern-making workshop in English, Spanish and Mandarin.
RSVP is recommended, but not required to participate in this workshop; to RSVP please email: ggaaraycochea@queensmuseum.org with the subject Lantern Workshop. More details.
Tuesday, January 31, 2023
New York Philharmonic Lunar New Year Concert
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Wu Tsai Theater, David Geffen Hall, 10 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023-6970
Ticket: $63 – $210
Celebrate the Lunar New Year — and welcome the Year of the Rabbit — with the New York Philharmonic.
Programs include violinist Ning Feng in an arrangement of Bernstein’s “West Side Story Suite,” erhu virtuoso Yiwen Lu in Qigang Chen’s “La joie de la souffrance,” vocalists Gong Linna and Hasibagen in Tan Dun’s “Heart Sutra.” Long Yu returns to conduct the concert, featuring Li Huanzhi’s “Spring Festival Overture.” More details.
Saturday, February 4, 2023
Southern Brooklyn Lunar New Year Celebration
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location: New Utrecht High School Auditorium, 1601 80th St., Brooklyn, NY 11214
Ticket: Free
The event hosted by Homecrest Community Services features cultural performances, family-friendly activities, resource information, giveaways, raffle and more! It is supported by local elected officials and the Southern Brooklyn Asian Coalition.
Lunar New Year Celebration at Staten Island Children’s Museum
Time: 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Location: 1000 Richmond Terrace, Building M, Staten Island, NY 10301
Ticket: Child under 1, $0; Child over 1 and adult, $8; discounted tickets for museum members and community & corporate partners
Celebrate the Lunar New Year with artists from the New York Chinese Cultural Center. This 30-minute program includes a Kung fu demonstration/interactive segment, as well as some beloved Chinese folk dance pieces. Included with admission. More details.
Sunday, February 5, 2023
Lunar New Year Celebration at Queens College
Time: 3:00 p.m.
Location: 153-49 Reeves Avenue, Flushing, NY 11367-1597
Ticket: $15, Queens College students get a 50% discount.
Celebrate the New Year of the Water Rabbit and the day of the Lantern Festival at Kupferberg Center for the Arts at Queens College with a colorful, spectacular program of dance, music, and more! The world-renowned Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company is known for fusing American modern dance with the grace, splendor and discipline of Asian art. Come meet majestic dragons, elegant peacocks, stunning acrobats, twirling ribbons, bamboo instruments, a new lion dance with a hip-hop beat, and much more — all included in a thrilling program that’s designed to enthrall the entire family and honor the festive tradition.
The event will be about 100 minutes long including a 15-minute intermission. More details.
Sunday, February 12, 2023
Lunar New Year Parade
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Location: Chinatown, Manhattan
Ticket: Free
Parade Route: Mott Street & Canal Street to Chatham Square to East Broadway towards the Manhattan Bridge, completing on Eldridge and Forsyth Streets towards Grand Street next to Sara D. Roosevelt Park.
Find acrobats, dancers, stilt walkers, performers, marching bands, floats, lion dancers and dragons weaving through the jam-packed streets. More details.
