How to Celebrate Lunar New Year in New Haven

The year of the dragon is upon us; welcome to 2024. Lunar New Year marks the first new moon of the new year, celebrated primarily in Asian communities across China, South Korea, Vietnam, and beyond. Fireworks displays, street parades, and energetic representations of culture traditionally mark the celebration. This year’s holiday, which falls on Saturday, February 10th, will usher in the year of the dragon.

On February 24th, visitors and locals will gather for Connecticut’s largest annual Lunar New Year celebration in New Haven. Hosted by Yale-China, an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between the United States and China through partnerships in education, healthcare, and the arts, Lunarfest 2024 will kick off at 10 AM on Whitney Avenue between Grove and Trumbull. The celebration will include a lion dance parade, free family-friendly activities, work from local artists, and more. 

Families celebrating the Lunar New Year beyond a single day of celebration will experience fifteen days of New Year’s traditions, including red paper crafts, annual spring cleaning, and participation in Lantern Festivals to mark the end of the long holiday. According to Britannica, the annual spring cleaning is a major piece of the holiday tradition, wherein “approximately 10 days before the beginning of the new lunar year, houses are thoroughly cleaned to remove any bad luck that might be lingering inside, a custom called ‘sweeping of the grounds’.” As for the parades, fireworks, and red paper crafts all tie back to the legend of Nian, a frightening beast said to feast on humans each New Year’ Day. The red garb, lanterns and pyrotechnic displays, and loud noises were believed to scare away the beast, ensuring a safe, happy, and healthy new year for families everywhere. 

Those looking to learn more about the holiday and the many cultures that make up the New Haven community can engage in a number of family-friendly activities across the city following Lunarfest. From the New Haven Museum to the Whitney Audubon Arts District, the entirety of the Elm City will be abuzz with curious minds and new year positivity on February 24th.