Your guide to Lunar New Year celebrations around D.C.
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A Lunar New Year Parade in D.C.'s Chinatown. Photo: Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
Lunar New Year ushers in the Year of the Snake on Wednesday, with events and feasts happening around D.C. over the next two-plus weeks.
Pro tip: Many events are free, especially around the Smithsonian, but you can more easily access some if you register online.
Arts & Culture
🐼 The National Zoo: The zoo's new pandas are now on display, but families will find extra fun at a Lunar New Year party on Jan. 29 (12-2pm) and the District of Panda Day on Saturday with live music, panda trivia and more. Free passes are required to enter.
🎶 The Kennedy Center: The National Ballet of China tells the story of the Lunar New Year with a mix of Western ballet and Chinese cultural themes, all set to "The Nutcracker" score. Tickets ($30-$140), Weds-Sun.
🖌️ National Museum of Asian Art: The Smithsonian museum is hosting two events on Saturday: a free family festival (1-3pm, register here) and a night market held at the Arts + Industries building (3-7pm) with tons of food vendors and makers.
🎨 Smithsonian American Art Museum: A free family-friendly festival on Saturday (11:30am-3pm) features dance and musical performances, crafts, traditional Chinese and Korean art demonstrations, and special treats from The Courtyard Café.
🐉 DC Chinese Lunar New Year Parade: The annual festive procession travels through Chinatown on Sunday at 2pm with costumed dancers and a lively firecracker finale.
Food & Drink
🫖 Fried Rice Collective: The Anju/Chiko team is celebrating Lunar New Year with events and specials. Head to a collaborative dinner on Capitol Hill Friday with a bunch of top chef talents (reservations $90), or a Lunar New Year tea service on Sunday (1pm and 3pm, $65 reservations) with sweet bites from Jill Nguyen of Capitol Jill Baking and Sweets by Caroline Ta.
🐅 Tiger Fork: Shaw's modern Hong Kong-style restaurant goes all out with festivities, including Lion dancers on Saturday (1pm and 7pm), a "Tiger vs. Snake" DJ party (Feb. 7, 10pm) and a multi-course baiju dinner (Feb. 12, $150).
👨🍳 Cut by Wolfgang Puck: Head to the Georgetown restaurant on Feb. 4 for a glitzy gold-and-red-hued tasting dinner from a crew of top chefs joining host Andrew Ho, including Kevin Tien (Moon Rabbit), Katsuya Fukushima (Daikaya Group), and Simon Lam (Tiger Fork). Reservations, $189.
🇻🇳 Nue: The upscale Vietnamese restaurant in Falls Church serves celebratory prix-fixe menus and specials through Feb. 13, plus "lucky money" giveaways and collaborations with Vietnamese artists.
🥟 NiHao and Chang Chang: Chef Peter Chang's new Arlington and Dupont Circle restaurants celebrate with specials (through Feb. 12) and events. In D.C., head to a banquet-style feast (Feb. 10, $88). In Virginia, the restaurant serves a family-style feast for less than 20 diners (Feb. 11, $88).