9 of the Top Lunar New Year Celebrations in the US

The Washington DC metropolitan area (or DMV, including Maryland and Virginia) has seen significant growth in its Asian American community, so Lunar New Year celebrations tend to showcase this diversity, blending Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese traditions. The annual Chinese Lunar New Year Parade in DC is a centerpiece, featuring lion dances and marching bands. Enjoy workshops, performances, and community events which highlight this dynamic and growing Asian American population, and experience a vibrant display of cultural expression from across the region. While you're in town, be sure to explore Washington DC's other cultural highlights on a guided tour, too.

If you're wondering where to celebrate Lunar New Year in the US, you'll find an immersive experience for all ages in Houston, thanks to the city's thriving Chinese American community. The Texas Lunar Festival features colorful lion dances, martial arts, and a variety of food vendors. The performances, crafts, traditional foods, and cultural workshops are a highlight, with events in Chinatown and other neighborhoods blending Korean, Vietnamese, and Chinese traditions—fun for the whole family. And after checking out the Lunar New Year celebrations, be sure to tour more of Houston's cultural highlights.

The capital of Texas has plenty of cultural tours available year-round, but Austin’s thriving Asian American community ensures that the Lunar New Year is a top time to visit. The Lunar New Year Festival reflects the way in which the community has enriched the city’s cultural scene, infusing it with fresh energy, blending tradition with innovation. Here, you’ll discover dragon and lion dances, lively local markets, and family-friendly events along with cultural performances, arts and crafts, and food representing the Asian diaspora. If you’re seeking new experiences, there are also typically art shows and workshops with a focus on highlighting Asian-owned small businesses.

Las Vegas’ bustling Chinatown, known as Chinatown Vegas, serves as a centerpiece for cultural celebrations at this time of year—its strip malls are packed with Asian restaurants and supermarkets, foot massage spas, and martial arts schools.

During the Las Vegas Lunar New Year Festival, Chinatown Vegas comes alive with colorful lion and dragon dances, cultural performances, and festive decorations. And while the Las Vegas Strip dazzles with displays including the Bellagio Las Vegas Conservatory and Botanical Gardens and Venetian® Resort Atrium installations, more authentic experiences in Chinatown Vegas offer an equally compelling way to celebrate, before you head off to explore more of what Nevada has to offer.

Chicago’s Lunar New Year celebrations include two main East and Southeast Asian enclaves: Chicago Chinatown and Uptown. Chinatown is a cultural cornerstone, hosting a parade with a traditional dragon and lion dancing teams, colorful floats, marching bands, and community events. Meanwhile, Uptown’s Argyle Lunar New Year Celebration—which also hosts a parade with cultural performances, food, and shopping opportunities along the lively Argyle Street—is predominantly known for its Vietnamese and Chinese communities.

And once you've seen the best of both Lunar New Year celebrations in Chicago, take a tasting tour of the Chinatown neighborhood for a more immersive experience.

Today, Lunar New Year celebrations are an integral part of Atlanta's cultural calendar, drawing locals and visitors to experience the city’s diversity. Head first to Atlanta’s Chinatown to find a range of Asian restaurants offering traditional holiday foods reflecting Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese cuisine.

Then, make for the Chinatown Mall, which hosts Atlanta’s Chinese Lunar New Year Celebration with live music, dance performances, and shopping opportunities. Don’t miss the festivities at Stone Mountain Park either, which typically include a lighted parade and Lunar New Year Drone and Light Show on the world’s largest screen.

Phoenix Chinese Week Lunar New Year Festival is a prominent annual event. The week-long celebration includes a Lunar New Year parade with live entertainment, folk dances, musical performances, food trucks, vendors, and cultural exhibitions.

Here, you can enjoy dragon and lion dances, tai chi and martial arts demonstrations, and a variety of family-friendly activities that highlight the city’s Chinese heritage. With the metropolitan area’s Asian American population steadily growing, these celebrations have become a cornerstone of Phoenix's cultural scene, though the city's rich history is also worthy of exploration.

If you’re visiting Detroit during Lunar New Year, head to Chinatown for traditional lion and dragon dances, food stalls, and cultural performances. Eastern Market typically hosts the Lunar New Year Community Fair with live DJ music, art exhibits, food and drinks from Chinese, Vietnamese, and other Asian communities. Kids can make paper lanterns and other crafts at the Detroit Public Library, while the Detroit Institute of Arts often hosts mask-making workshops. Other Michigan cities including Ann Arbor also offer annual events.

The Raleigh-Durham area, known as the Triangle, has quickly become a key destination for its Chinese New Year celebration. The region’s festival features cultural performances, markets, and food stalls that showcase traditional dishes from various Asian cultures. In addition to popular events at locations such as the North Carolina Museum of Art, the area offers a variety of family-friendly activities, making it an exciting destination in which to celebrate the Lunar New Year. (And one that you'll want to stick around and explore afterwards!)