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Lunar New Year celebrations in Portland, OR

The Lunar New Year celebrates the start of spring and a new year on the lunisolar calendar.

Colorful lion dancers parade through a city street.

The Lunar New Year Dragon Dance Parade and Celebration draws scores of spectators every year.

Though its official dates vary across different Asian cultures, the Lunar New Year is a celebration of the start of spring and a new year on the lunisolar calendar.

2025 is the Year of the Snake, an animal representing sensitivity, adaptability, and calm + collective nature.

Expect plenty of lion dances, firecrackers, gifts of money in red envelopes, and other festivities around the Seattle area in the coming weeks. Here are just a few Lunar New Year events to check out.

  • Lunar New Year Opening Lion Dance | Wednesday, Jan. 29 | 9:30-11 a.m. | Lan Su Chinese Garden | Free | Welcome the Year of the Snake with a special lion dance performance at the garden’s Entrance Plaza.
  • Lunar New Year Lantern Viewing Evenings | Wednesday, Jan. 29-Sunday, Feb. 23 | 5:30 p.m. + 7:30 p.m. | Lan Su Chinese Garden | $14-$43 | Take in the sights of the garden at night as glowing lanterns illuminate traditional architecture and floating sculptures.
  • Chinese New Year Cultural Fair | Saturday, Jan. 21 | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Oregon Convention Center | $11 | Experience traditional Chinese dances, music, calligraphy, martial arts, and games for kids.
  • 2025 Lunar New Year Dragon Dance Parade and Celebration | Saturday, Feb. 8 | 10 a.m.-1 p.m. | Free | The ninth annual parade, presented by the Portland Chinatown Museum and Oregon Historical Society, will showcase a 150-ft-long dragon, lion dancers, and other performers as they make their way around Old Town Chinatown.
  • Lunar New Year Celebration | Saturday, Feb. 8 | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | Washington Square | Free | Visit the mall’s Summit Court for live performances, crafts, stories, dances, and to make a wish on the Wishing Tree.
  • Oregon 2025 Lunar New Year Celebration | Saturday, Feb. 1 | 7:30 p.m. | Keller Auditorium | $29-$99 | This popular annual event by the Chinese Friendship Association of Portland includes performances from 300+ dancers, actors, comedians, singers, and more.
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