New Year's Day - Tuesday, February 17th. The San Francisco Parade, Saturday, March 7th.
By Anne Schrager, Staff Writer Feb 1, 2026 - San Francisco Chronicle
Gung hay fat choy! Chúc mừng năm mới! Happy Year of the Fire Horse!
In the Chinese zodiac, 2026 corresponds to the horse — a symbol of optimism, perseverance and forward momentum. Those qualities help set the tone for Lunar New Year’s Day, which falls on Tuesday, Feb. 17, kicking off more than a week of celebration observed in the Bay Area and beyond.
While spring and lantern festivals typically bookend the holiday period, many of the Lunar New Year’s most anticipated moments arrive in the form of raucous parades featuring acrobatic lion dancers, live drums and firecrackers.
The region’s largest Lunar New Year procession will once again take plac in San Francisco, with the popular Chinatown parade scheduled for the eve of March 7.
But there’s plenty of other festivities well before then. Check out the Chronicle’s guide to the best Lunar New Year events near you:
Lunar New Year 2026: Where to celebrate the Year of the Fire Horse in the Bay Area
Greg
Quick and Dirty
Gung hay fat choy! Chúc mừng năm mới! Happy Year of the Fire Horse!
In the Chinese zodiac, 2026 corresponds to the horse — a symbol of optimism, perseverance and forward momentum. Those qualities help set the tone for Lunar New Year’s Day, which falls on Tuesday, Feb. 17, kicking off more than a week of celebration observed in the Bay Area and beyond.
While spring and lantern festivals typically bookend the holiday period, many of the Lunar New Year’s most anticipated moments arrive in the form of raucous parades featuring acrobatic lion dancers, live drums and firecrackers.
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The region’s largest Lunar New Year procession will once again take plac in San Francisco, with the popular Chinatown parade scheduled for the eve of March 7.
But there’s plenty of other festivities well before then. Check out the Chronicle’s guide to the best Lunar New Year events near you:
Year of the Horse on Parade
A couple of large-scale sculptures, designed and painted by local artists Stephanie Mufson and Robin Zhao, will be on display at two San Francisco locations. Their designs were inspired by cultural themes representing traditions of and in celebration of the Lunar New Year.
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On view through March 15. Free. Thrive City, 1725 Third St., S.F.; Lucky Supermarket, 1515 Sloat Blvd., S.F. 415-982-3000. www.chineseparade.com/horseonparade
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SFPD lion dance team performs at the Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco, 2024.
Michaela Vatcheva/Special to The Chronicle
Asian Art Museum Lunar New Year Celebration
Enjoy performances from UC Berkeley’s Vietnamese Student Association Lion Dance Tea, all-day Mahjong, a large-scale Chinese brush painting demonstration by Pauline Tsui and Lunar New Year-themed art activities.
11:30 a.m.- 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 1. Free. Osher Plaza, Asian Art Museum, 200 Larkin St., S.F. 415-581-3500. www.asianart.org
Harajuku Lunar New Year Fest
Visit one of the cuter Lunar New Year fests. It offers food vendors and a marketplace, Japanese art, anime and anime character cosplay opportunities.
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7. Free-$44.52. 15780 Almaden Expy., San Jose. www.aquarianplants.com
Lunar New Year/Black History Month: Celebrating Asian & African American Solidarity
Join an afternoon of art, live music and dance. With Black and Asian martial artists, lion dance, local vendor marketplace, children’s zone and a Black and Asian solidarity-focused exhibition.
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7. Free-$35. Oakland Asian Cultural Center, 388 9th St., Oakland. 510-637-0455. www.oacc.cc/events
Moyra Silva Rodriguez is pictured in a still from “Chinatown Shorts: You are Here’ documentary film series short film titled “At the Heart of Barrio Chino: Tusán Perspectives from Lima, Peru.”
Lenora Lee Dance
Chinatown Shorts: ‘You are Here’
Lean-in to the Capón Barrio Chino — Lima Chinatown setting at a screening of directors Lenora Lee and Moyra Silva Rodriguez’ short film titled “At the Heart of Barrio Chino: Tusán Perspectives from Lima, Peru” along with director Anson Ho’s narrative short, “Pinwheel” (4min, 2021). Series creator James Q. Chan will moderate a conversation with the directors following the films.
1:30-3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8. Free. Clarion Performing Arts Center, 2 Waverly Pl., S.F. www.theclarionsf.org
Cal Performances: Pianist Bruce Liu
The award-winning young Chinese Canadian pianist’s Cal Performances debut program is set to include solo piano works by Beethoven, Chopin, Ligeti, Ravel, Liszt and others.
7:30 p.m. Feb. 10. $35-$93. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley. 510-642-9988. www.calperformances.org
Cal Performances present a concert of solo piano works from Bruce Liu at Zellerbach Hall on Feb. 10, UC Berkeley.
Christoph Koestlin/Cal Performances
Lunar New Year Flower Fair
Hosted on the weekend before Chinese New Year, the flower fair offers fresh flowers, fruit, candies and supplies to kick off the lunar year. Traditional live Chinese entertainment, including magicians, acrobats, lion dance and opera, and more than 120 vendor booths and concessions will be featured.
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15. Free. Grant Avenue between Broadway and Clay streets, S.F. 415-982-3000. www.chineseparade.com
Gamble Garden Lunar New Year Family Celebration
Enjoy a morning exploring the 3-acre garden with a guided tour or on a family nature hunt. The event will feature a performance from Sun Hing Dragon and Lion Dance Association, craft activities and more.
10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Feb. 14. Free, registration required. Gamble Garden, 1431 Waverley St., Palo Alto. 650-329-1356. www.gamblegarden.org
Lunar New Year performers at the Oakland Museum of California annual celebration.
Christine Cueto/Oakland Museum of California
‘Round the World’ Lunar New Year Celebration
Ring in the Year of the Fire Horse with the grounding flow of tai chi, followed by lion and dragon dancing by LionDanceME and Chinese cultural dance from Helen Dance Academy. In between shows, enjoy mahjong lessons and a drop-in crafts workshop led by local Bay Area artist Teo Octavia.
11 a.m.–2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14. Free. Union Square, 333 Post St., S.F. 415-781-4456. www.visitunionsquaresf.com/park-programs
Justin Wong: ‘Carry-On’
The London-based comics artist bridges political satire, visual storytelling and cultural research in his first U.S. exhibition. Explore the opening during the 2026 “Make Your Own Luck” Art Zone at the Chinatown Flower Market Fair.
Opens Saturday, Feb. 14. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday-Monday. Through June 29. Free. Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco, 667 Grant Ave., S.F. www.cccsf.us
Westfield Valley Fair’s Lunar New Year Celebration
Enjoy traditional lion, ribbon and lantern folk dance performances, a “Lunaire” floral exhibition from Fleurs de Villes, red envelopes with chocolate coins for children and more.
Noon-4:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15. Free. Westfield Valley Fair, 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd., Santa Clara. 408-248-4450. www.westfield.com
The Midway Presents: Lunar New Year of the Horse
A night celebrating the spring festival of the new year includes performances from Jan Blomqvist, DJ Logic, Fort Knox Five, Golden Ratio, Honest Criminals and others. Join a new year’s procession with traditional lion and dragon dancers, drummer, mask making and more.
8 p.m. Feb. 15. $35-$60; 21 and older. The Midway, 900 Marin St., S.F. www.themidwaysf.com
Attendees rush to receive red envelopes during a Lunar New Year celebration in the Chinatown neighborhood of San Francisco, 2025.
Stephen Lam/The Chronicle
Chinese Lunar New Year 4724: Opening Ceremony and Choy Sun Doe Day
San Francisco Chinese Chamber of Commerce-sponsored “Choy Sun” characters (a prosperity deity) will pass out red envelopes with chocolate coins and prizes to children.
11 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17. Free. Portsmouth Square, 50 Walter U Lum Place, S.F. www.chineseparade.com
After Dark: New Moon, New Year
Grab a drink and enjoy the exhibits, including the Tactile Dome, as the Exploratorium’s Thursday evening party explores multicultural Lunar New Year traditions with lion dance performances and a meet and greet with the Chung Ngai Dance Troupe, mahjong tables, craft activities and more.
6-10 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19. $22.95; 18 and older. Exploratorium, Pier 15, S.F. 415-528-4444. www.exploratorium.edu
The Exploratorium will host an after hours Lunar New Year celebration, “After Dark: New Moon, New Year,” in San Francisco on Feb. 19.
Exploratorium
NightLife: ‘Lunar Underground’
Wander through a night market and browse for unique treasures and treats from local Asian-owned businesses. Enjoy live DJ sets, fortune tellers and an LED lion dance performance from LionDanceME.
6-10 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19. $25; 21 and older. California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park, S.F. 415-379-8000. www.calacademy.org
Celebrate Lunar New Year at Mechanics’ Institute
Bay Area author Maxine Hong Kingston will moderate a panel discussion commemorating the Year of the Fire Horse. The conversation is set to focus on New Year’s traditions and rituals, myths and qualities associated with the Horse and predictions for the upcoming year.
6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19. $15-$17.85. Mechanics’ Institute, 57 Post St., S.F. 415-393-0101. www.milibrary.org
Lunar New Year performers at the Oakland Museum of California annual celebration.
Kamiko Fujii/Oakland Museum of California
South San Francisco Lunar New Year Night Market
Enjoy a vibrant community celebration and outdoor market featuring local vendors, food, cultural performances and family-friendly activities.
3-9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20. Free. Maple Ave., between Miller and Grand Avenues, South S.F. 650-877-8500. www.ssfca.gov/events
Festival Napa Valley: Celebrating Lunar New Year at The St. Regis
Enjoy an intimate concert featuring pianist and composer Yang Bao, and celebrate the launch of his upcoming album, “Madlands.” The evening includes a reception with wine and hors d'oeuvres.
5:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20. $125. St. Regis San Francisco, 125 Third St., S.F. 707-346-5052. www.festivalnapavalley.org
The Rice Rockettes are scheduled to perform as part of the Gay Men’s Chorus hosted “Queer Lunar New Year” event in San Francisco on Feb. 20.
Gabriela Hasbun/S.F. Gay Men’s Chorus
S.F. Gay Mens Chorus Presents: Queer Lunar New Year Celebration
The chorus partners with GAPA (GLBTQ+ Asian Pacific Alliance) for a night of performances ringing in the Year of the Horse highlighting Bay Area Queer, Transgender Asian and Pacific Islander voices. Performers scheduled include GAPA ensembles, Mabuhay Bitches, the Rice Rockettes, Masala Mahal, Royales BIPOC drag kings show, Filipin X and others.
7-10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20. $50-$52, includes one drink and snacks; 21 and older. The Chan National Queer Arts Center, 170 Valencia St., S.F. www.sfgmc.org
S.F. Performances: Jennifer Koh
The Shenson Great Artists and Ensembles Series presents the award-winning violinist in a performance of works by Lili Boulanger, Fauré, Tania Léon, Ravel and Saariaho with pianist Thomas Sauer.
7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20. Herbst Theatre, Van Ness Ave., S.F. 415-392-2545. www.sfperformances.org
Lunar New Year performers at the Oakland Museum of California annual celebration.
Kamiko Fujii/Oakland Museum of California
Oakland Museum: 25th Annual Lunar New Year Celebration
The Oakland Museum of California plans to host a family-friendly event in celebration of the Lunar New Year. It’s set to include cultural performances, featuring traditional music from Kularts and Hansamo, lion dance with the LionDanceMe and UC Berkeley’s Vietnamese Student Association Lion and Dragon dance teams, story time with author Benson Shum, K-Pop dance choreography instruction, food trucks and interactive art activities.
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21. $10, under 12 free. Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak St., Oakland. 510-318-8400. www.museumca.org
Lunar New Year Community Day
Join the museum for a multicultural celebration scheduled to include cultural demonstrations, interactive activities, live performances from KCC Urisawe and the Rising Phoenix Lion Dance Association.
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21. Included with museum admission. San Jose Museum of Art, 110 S. Market St., San Jose. 408-271-6840. www.sjmusart.org
Santana Row will host a Lunar New Year celebration with cultural arts and performances on Feb. 21.
Santana Row/Thane Phelan
Lunar New Year on Santana Row
An outdoor celebration plans to offer cultural arts demonstration, taiko drumming, lion and dragon performances, arts and craft activities, red envelopes and more.
11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21. Free. Santana Row Park, 377 Santana Row, San Jose. 408-551-4611. www.santanarow.com
Thrive City Lunar New Year Celebration
Ring in the Year of the Horse Ring enjoying culinary treats from Dumpling Time and Boba Guys, family-friendly activities, lion dance from LionDanceMe, live cultural performances from Nguyen Dance Company, the Korean Culture Center’s Urisawe drum ensemble and others.
Noon-3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21. Free. Thrive City ,1 Warriors Way, S.F. www.chasecenter.com/thrive-city
Jojo Liu paints Chinese calligraphy onto cards in the Ferry Building in San Francisco, 2025.
Dan Hernandez/The Chronicle
Storytime Sunday: ‘Zodiac Animals for Movers’
Celebrate the Year of the Horse in San Francisco’s Chinatown neighborhood, with an interactive reading of L.A.-based authors Peggy Nguyễn and illustrator Elliot Griffin’s new children’s book, which creatively re-imagines Zodiac Animals and the Vietnamese Lunar calendar.
10:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 22. Free. On Waverly, 62 Waverly Pl., S.F. www.onwaverly.com
‘Drumbeats, Heartbeats: Community As One’
Celebrate Lunar New Year and Black History Month as the library’s annual joint celebration of Black History Month and the Lunar New Year returns to the Main branch. It’s set to include an interactive procession with Duniya Dance and Drum Co. and LionDanceMe, youth poetry readings and performances from Loco Bloco and musicians Francis Wong and David Boyce.
4:45-8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24. Free. S.F. Public Library, 100 Larkin St., S.F. 415-557-4400. www.sfpl.org/events
A dragon dancer poses for a child before the beginning of the Oakland Lunar New Year Parade in Oakland, 2023.
Jungho Kim/Special to The Chronicle
Oakland Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade
The fourth annual Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council-sponsored event will include lion dance, live music, community booths, floats, firecrackers, food, merch vendors and more.
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28. Free. Wilma Chan Park, 810 Jackson St., and Lincoln Square Park, 250 10th St., Oakland. 510-833-1467. www.ocic-ca.org
Filoli House and Garden will host a Lunar New Year’s family day event in Woodside on Feb. 28.
Filoli
Filoli Lunar New Year Family Day
The historic property’s programming will include cultural performances, family-friendly activities and festive holiday vignettes celebrating the holiday throughout the house. Enjoy lion dancers, live traditional Chinese music and storytelling with musician Winnie Wong’s “Stories in Bloom: Celebrating the Lunar New Year,” interactive activities and more.
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28. Included with museum admission. Filoli, 86 Cañada Road, Woodside. 650-364-8300. www.filoli.org/lunar-new-year
The San Francisco Symphony, pictured in its 2024 year of the Dragon program, will celebrate “Lunar New Year: Year of the Dragon” at Davies Symphony Hall on Feb. 28 in San Francisco.
Drew Altizer/San Francisco Symphony
S.F. Symphony’s Lunar New Year Concert: Year of the Horse
Mei-Ann Chen is set to conduct the symphony in a Lunar New Year program that includes Huan-Zhi Li’s “Spring Festival”, Che-Yi Lee’s “Dancing Strings” and “Alone Ascending the West Chamber” featuring clarinet soloist Yuhsin Galaxy Su. Erhu player George Gao will perform an original work with the orchestra.
There will be live entertainment and activities, including including lion dancers, live artists and cultural performances in the lobby prior to the performance. A separately ticketed pre-concert VIP reception and post concert Lunar New Year banquet will feature live music, catering and theatrical Lunar New Year-themed décor.
4 p.m. lobby activities; 5 p.m. concert Saturday, Feb. 28. $49-$119. Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave., S.F. 415-864-6000. www.sfsymphony.org
CMC Lunar New Year Showcase: Homage to Betty Wong
Community Music Center colleagues and friends celebrate the memory of musician Betty Wong and the Year of the Wild Red Horse with a performance of traditional Chinese music and jazz.
1-3 p.m. Sunday, March 1. Free. Bird and Beckett Books and Music, Chenery St., S.F. 415-647-6015. www.sfcmc.org
Members of the San Gabriel Valley Chinese Cultural Association practice ahead of the Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco, 2024.
Michaela Vatcheva/Special to The Chronicle
Alaska Airlines San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade
Witness the city’s grand and boisterous illuminated nighttime parade. Started in the 1860s by the Chinese community in San Francisco as a means to educate the city about its culture, the parade and festival programming will feature festive floats, firecrackers, cultural organizations, Miss Chinatown 2026, lion dancers, live music and more.
5-8 p.m. Saturday, March 7. Free; $45-$75 reserved bleacher tickets available. Parade begins at Second and Market streets, S.F. 415-889-8891. www.chineseparade.com
Official San Francisco Chinese New Year Community Street Fair
A two-day community street fair celebrating Lunar New Years and Chinese New Year, is set to include more than 120 vendor booths and food concessions throughout San Francisco’s Chinatown. The main outdoor stage will feature live performances including Chinese folk dancing, opera, drumming and more.
10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday, March 7; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, March 8. Free. Grant Avenue from California Street to Broadway; Sacramento, Washington, Jackson and Pacific streets, from Stockton to Kearny, S.F. 415-982-3000. www.chineseparade.com
The Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco, 2025.
Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle
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The 48th annual 5K/10K run — winding through San Francisco’s Chinatown, North Beach and downtown — raises money to benefit youth and teen programs at the Chinatown YMCA Community Center, which serves more than 1,200 youth and their families. Bonus tip: If you were born in a Horse year, you can receive a commemorative enamel pin.
8 a.m. Sunday, March 15. $50-$72, registration required. Run starts at Grant Avenue and Sacramento Street, S.F. www.ymcasf.org/event/lny-run