Lunar New Year

Lunar New Year Celebration is Saturday, February 4, 2023.

Welcome to CIDBIA's annual Lunar New Year Celebration. Vendor booths line the streets, dance performances and music throughout the main stage at Hing Hay Park, families walk along S. King St., you can truly feel the atmosphere of this cultural intersection. We look forward to celebrating with you soon!

Click here to RSVP for the event on Facebook!

Interested in vending with us? LNY is sold out! We would love to have you join us at future events. 

Volunteer sign up form can be found here

Food Walk

Our Food Walk will feature delicious menu items from Chinatown-ID businesses on Saturday, February 4, 2023 (11:00am-4:00pm).  Visit at least 5 locations on our food walk tour and collect 5 stamps to enter-to-win a CID gift basket filled with neighborhood goodies! Menus can be found at our information booth throughout the event duration, 

Click here for the FULL digital menu. In order to submit your stamped food walk form, you must visit our info booth or find a copy of the menu at a participating business to be considered!

Thank you to our 2023 LNY Sponsors!

LNY 2023 Thank You to our Sponsors!

Lunar New Year Shirt Fundraiser

Find these shirts on our Bonfire store site and celebrate the festivities with us! We are also bringing back some LNY favorites in new colors, as well as the classic “Welcome to Chinatown-International District” shirts and hoodies.

http://bonfire.com/store/cidbia/

The fundraiser ends on February 8th, and shirts will be mailed out to you directly from Bonfire. Please note these are available online only!

The Lunar Calendar

Lunar New Year celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunar calendar. Commonly referred to as the Spring Festival, cultures across Asia celebrate Lunar New Year with their own varied customs and traditions. Each year, the lunar calendar is represented by one the 12 zodiacs – which are Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.

The first day of the festival begins on the first new moon of the lunar calendar, which varies year to year, depending on the cycles of the moon. Generally, the holiday lands between January 21st and February 20th, and lasts 15 days from New Year’s Eve to the 15th day of the New Year. 

This year, Lunar New Year lands on Sunday, January 22, 2023. Celebrations typically begin the night before, and extends up to 15 days. This Lunar New Year marks the transition to the Year of the Rabbit, which is the fourth animal of the zodiac.

Traditionally, New Year’s eve and New Year’s day are reserved for family celebrations, including religious ceremonies to honor ancestors. Communities celebrate with cultural dances, fireworks, and plenty of traditional foods such as niang gao (sticky rice cake) and fish, to symbolize a surplus in luck and wealth.

Chinese zodiac animals

(Years Past) Celebrate with Food and Traditional Performances

The Lunar New Year Celebration highlights each zodiac animal and celebrates the year and its symbolism, right in the historic neighborhood of Chinatown-ID. Since its inception, our Lunar New Year Celebration is one of the largest events of its kind in the region and showcases diversity, richness, and culture of the Asian community.

The collaboration with other neighborhood businesses and organizations has helped draw thousands of visitors from throughout the region for a day of festivities. The celebration includes traditional dragon and lion dances, martial arts, Japanese Taiko Drumming, and other cultural performances on the Main Stage. Visitors are also able to participate in our Annual  Food Walk and sample items from local businesses. A variety of family-friendly activities. combined with small arts and crafts vendors, there is something for everyone to enjoy. 

Lion dancers on stage
Korean performers
Hmong performers
Crowds watching performance
Lion dance costume heads