How To Celebrate Lunar New Year Across Dallas-Fort Worth

Lunar New Year begins Jan. 29, and local celebrations will begin this weekend and run through early February. Celebrated across Asia according to the lunisolar calendar, the holiday is traditionally assigned one of 12 Chinese zodiac animals. For the Year of the Snake, we’ve put together a list of the best places to celebrate across the Dallas area. So put on your lucky red clothing and get ready to ring in the new year with good wishes for prosperity and renewal.

Hear the Sounds of Guzheng at the Kimbell Art Museum

Jan. 24, 5–7 p.m. 3333 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth. Free admission.

Co-hosted by the Kimbell Art Museum and Fort Worth Sister Cities International, this event will include opportunities to make art and an Asian art-themed scavenger hunt. But the standout of the night is sure to be the traditional guzheng musical performances. Though this Chinese zither instrument’s earliest 13-string iteration dates back to 475–221 BCE, today it most commonly has 21 strings and is played with a fingerpick.

Watch K-Pop Cover Performances and a Firecracker Show at Asia Times Square

Jan. 24–26 and Feb. 1–2. See calendar for schedule. 2615–2625 W. Pioneer Parkway, Grand Prairie.  Free admission. Rideshare recommended.

A traditional lion dance, in which two dancers manipulate the head and tail of a lion costume to the sound of drums, will be performed every two hours at this Asia Times Square celebration. Each weekend brings new entertainment. Expect K-pop cover performances, multicultural fashion shows and plenty of snacks. Although there will be no vendors at the last weekend of this celebration, you won’t want to miss the firecracker show. According to Chinese legend, loud firecrackers and the color red were used to scare away the village-destroying monster Nian. Grand Prairie won’t be in danger, but we recommend bringing a pair of earplugs anyway. View the full day-by-day calendar of events here.

Eat Dumplings and Enjoy a Traditional Lion Dance at Jeng Chi Restaurant

Jan. 25, 2 p.m., 400 N. Greenville Ave., No. 11, Richardson

If you’d rather not brave the crowds, a meal at Jeng Chi might be your move. One of Dallas’ best Chinese restaurants, Jeng Chi boasts enough space for you to enjoy a plate (or more) of their famed dumplings while watching a lion dance from the comfort of your table. To make a reservation, claim your spot on OpenTable or contact the restaurant directly by 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 25.

Meet a Live Snake at NorthPark Center

Jan. 25, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. 8687 N. Central Expressway, Level 1 in NorthCourt, between Nordstrom and Macy’s

The Lunar New Year celebration at Dallas’ favorite place to shop will begin with a lion dance; bring the kids to Bookmarks after for a meet-and-greet with the Rising Phoenix Lion Dance Association performers. Then, enjoy sounds from Dallas Asian Winds and take some time for crafts — paper snakes, lanterns and lucky knot bracelets — in partnership with the Crow Museum of Asian Art, as well as an origami workshop led by members of UT Dallas’ Chinese Student Association. View the full event schedule here.

Lunar New Year at Thrive

Jan. 25, 10 a.m.– noon. 1950 S. Valley Parkway, Lewisville

Thrive, the city of Lewisville’s new multigenerational recreation center, wants to ring in the Lunar New Year in style as guests wear red and learn about the beauty behind the holiday during a day of crafts, food and celebration. The event is open to all ages.

Lunar New Year Gala - Talon Culture Foundation

Jan. 25, Plano Event Center, 2000 E. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano. $20 general admission, $50 VIPs

Elegantly commemorate Lunar New Year while benefiting the Talon Culture Foundation from 7 to 9 p.m. Gala festivities will include a stage-production show with world-class performance groups from near and far. Tickets can be bought online. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

East Wall Lunar New Year Event at East Wall Asian Cuisine

Jan. 28–29, 3033 W. Parker Road, No. 214, Plano

The restaurant’s Lunar New Year event will offer a lottery money giveaway as guests enjoy classic Asian food. Prefer to eat at home? There are takeout specials for $288 or $468, with menu items including Peking duck, walnut shrimp, seafood fried rice and more. You can place your order until Jan. 26 by calling 972-985-7699. The full menu is on East Wall’s Facebook.

Chinese New Year Lion Dance at May Dragon

Jan. 29, 4848 Belt Line Road. $10 cover charge.

Have dinner and a show at May Dragon’s Chinese New Year celebration. The reservation-only evening will start at 7:30 p.m. and bring Wang Tao Kung Fu & Lion’s Dancers to the restaurant for a loud, dynamic show. Guests will be provided red envelopes to “feed” the lions and are encouraged to fill the envelopes with cash tips for the performer under the lion head. Reservations can be made online.

Southlake Spring Festival

Feb. 1, Southlake Town Square

The Southlake Spring Festival will celebrate East and Southeast Asian Cultures from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with booths, food vendors, activities, a fashion show and performances representing cultures from Japan, Korea, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and more. The free event started in 2022 to unite the local community through the city’s diversity and hospitality.

Run a Lunar New Year-Themed Half Marathon on the Trinity River Trail

Feb. 1, 7:30 a.m., Trinity River Trail, Fort Worth. Detailed course map available to registered runners. $39–49.

… or choose between a 5K and 10K if 13.1 miles sounds daunting. All runners will receive a medal and commemorative T-shirt emblazoned with gong xi fa cai, the Mandarin greeting for good wishes of prosperity around the New Year, and arrive at the finish line to find celebratory mini lanterns. Designed to be a stress-free run, this casual race is a great opportunity to embrace renewal and new beginnings in the spirit of Lunar New Year. Learn more about the race and register online.

Shop from Local Vendors at DFW Chinatown

Feb. 8, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. 400 N. Greenville Ave., Richardson. Free admission.

Come hungry. DFW Chinatown’s annual Lunar New Year event allows you to sample a selection of food and drink — boba, Taiwanese sausages, and croffles, to name a few — in one convenient location. Though we doubt you’ll still be starving after perusing all the booths, the surrounding area is also home to a supermarket, various restaurants and bakeries. Pick up free swag from Richardson community partner booths before taking in performances from the Jiu Long Lion Dance Troupe, Texas Diabolo (or Chinese yo-yo), Underground Jiu-Jitsu and Jiaping Shi Dance School. View the full event schedule here.

Skate Under Chinese Lanterns at the Galleria

Installation runs until Feb. 17. Dragon dance and drum performance: Feb. 8, 2 p.m. 13350 Dallas Parkway, No. 200, Level 1 near Sephora. Skating admission: $13. Skate rental: $5.

Until Feb. 17, the Galleria Dallas will display over 250 red Chinese lanterns above its ice rink. And on Feb. 8, skaters can enjoy a dragon dance and drumming performance from HD Lion Dance Foundation. Public skating is first-come first-serve seven days a week. The rink also offers private lessons and a five-week beginner course. (Yes, there are adults-only intro lessons, which take place on Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.) View full skating hours here.

Frisco Lunar New Year Festival

Saturday, Feb. 8, Simpson Plaza, 6101 Frisco Square Blvd., Frisco

The Frisco Asian-American community puts on its fifth annual Lunar New Year celebration benefiting the Frisco Education Foundation at a new location this year. The family-friendly event from 3 to 8 p.m. will showcase cultural art, lion dances, music and performances, a fashion show, kids activities, red envelopes and more. Traditional food and beverages will be available to purchase, and guests are urged to wear their cultural clothing.

Lunar New Year at the Richardson CORE District

Saturday, Feb. 8, 400 N. Greenville Ave., Richardson

The city of Richardson, the CORE District and the Dallas Chinese Community Center invite guests to celebrate the Year of the Snake with them from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The free event will have live entertainment, food and drinks, activities and vendors while bringing together restaurants, grocery stores, bakeries and cultural centers. Free parking is available nearby with a free shuttle service to transport guests to and from the event. Visit the website to claim your free ticket or view the entertainment schedule and vendor list.