Our 2020 Chinese New Year Events Listing includes Lunar New Year Celebrations in Los Angeles, Orange County, Inland Empire, San Diego, and Greater Palm Springs. From LA Chinatown parade, lantern making, various Tet Festivals, Lunar New Year celebration at theme parks & malls, and many more.
2020 Chinese New Year Los Angeles Events Listing
Lunar New Year Celebration at Westfield Santa Anita
Westfield Santa Anita will host a Lunar New Year celebration with traditional lion dances, live performances, candy spinning, games, raffles, calligraphy demonstrations, retailer offers, and more! Check-in at the registration table for a red envelope.
In the spirit of giving, Westfield will be raising money for the Asian Pacific Community Fund (APCF) by raffling off specialty prizes during the community day celebration. Raffle tickets will be priced at $1 and all proceeds will be donated to APCF. First General Bank will match all donations as a gracious homage to the Lunar New Year season.
Leading up to the grand community celebration, Westfield Santa Anita has created an interactive art installation that infuses tradition with modern technology; guests will be able to walk up to the LED wall installation and interact live with a virtual lion dancer.
Let’s make it a lucky new year for you – enter our giveaway for a chance to win a $100 Westfield Santa Anita Gift Card, join the giveaway on our Instagram page.
Where: Westfield Santa Anita (Center Court), 400 S Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA 91007
When: February 1, 2020
Time: 3 PM – 6 PM
Tickets: FREE event, RSVP to help the mall gauge how many will be participating.
The Huntington Chinese New Year Festival
Celebrate the Lunar New Year at The Huntington as the Year of the Rat begins. Festivities include lion dancers, mask-changing performances, martial arts, Chinese music and dance, and more!
Where: The Huntington Gardens, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, Calif. 91108
When: Feb 1, 2020
Time: 10 AM – 5 PM
Tickets: General Admission cost
Universal Studios Hollywood Lunar New Year Celebration
The Lunar New Year festivities include:
- At Universal Plaza, under a curtain of traditional red Chinese lanterns and stunning plum blossom Wishing Trees, the festivities will come to life as guests discover the 12 zodiac animal signs accompanied by their symbolic attributes.
- The immersive event will feature Po and Tigress from the thrilling “Kung Fu Panda Adventure” attraction who will greet guests and pose for engaging photos
- Mr. Ping’s Noodle Shop returns by popular demand to serve up delicious culture-themed food, and Mr. Ping himself will be on hand to interact with guests and take memorable souvenir photos.
- Guests can learn how to draw Po and take home the drawing as a keepsake memento
- On select days, community cultural performances featuring traditional lion dances will round out the program.
- Hello Kitty, donning her signature red bow and specially designed Lunar New Year attire, will be available to meet guests at the Hello Kitty Shop located within the Animation Studio Store.
- MEGATRON from the TRANSFORMERS franchise will be speaking Mandarin while interacting with guests at the entry of the festivities. The imposing robot leader of the DECEPTICONS will engage attendees in real-time conversation reflective of his persona and will be sure to entertain TRANSFORMERS fans visiting the park.
- The popular Despicable Me Minion Mayhem ride will entertain guests in their brightly colored traditional Lunar New Year attire.
- The world-famous Studio Tour is available in Mandarin at select times throughout the day.
- Guests can continue their Lunar New Year celebration at Universal CityWalk’s Dongpo Kitchen restaurant which features upscale and modern Sichuan cuisine. Inspired by China’s premier restaurant Meizhou Dongpo, Dongpo Kitchen offers the comforts of a casual dining environment with both indoor and al fresco seating and caters to an eclectic palate with a variety of signature dishes.
Where: Universal Studios Hollywood within Universal Plaza (located at the heart of the theme park), 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608
When: January 23 – February 9, 2020
Tickets: included in the price of admission. Check Universal Studios Hollywood Discount Tickets
Citadel Outlets Lunar New Year Celebration
Watch exciting lion dances, traditionally used to bring good luck and fortune, and take-home art from calligraphy and watercolor artists.
When: January 25 and 26, 2020
Where: Citadel Outlets, 100 Citadel Dr, Commerce, CA 90040
Tickets: FREE
USC Pacific Asia Museum Lunar New Year Festival
Enjoy free admission to the galleries, live performances, artmaking workshops, food trucks, and more!
Where: 46 North Los Robles Avenue, Pasadena, California 91101
When: January 25, 2020
Time: 11 AM
Cost: Free
LA Chinatown Midnight Temple Ceremony
LA Chinatown kicks off the Year of the Rat at Thien Hau Temple where attendees can experience traditional incense burning, make offerings to deities, watch traditional lion dancers, and witness 500,000 firecrackers in action.
When: January 24, 2020
Where: Thien Hau Temple, 756 Yale St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
Time: 10 PM New Year’s Eve to 12:30 AM New Year’s Day
Queen Mary Long Beach Chinese New Year
Celebrate Chinese New Year 2020 aboard the Queen Mary! Chinese New Year: Shanghai Nights will celebrate the Year of the Rat with traditional Chinese culture, cuisine, and exhilarating entertainment. Located in the beautiful Grand Salon, this limited seating buffet dinner and show by Wushu Shaolin Entertainment that includes Chinese Martial Arts, Dragon and Lion Dances, Ribbon Dances, Face Changer, and more.
Where: Queen Mary, 1126 Queens Hwy, Long Beach, CA 90802
When: January 25, 2020
Tickets: Price for dinner and show starts at $113 per person. Kids 4 and under receive free admission. VIP tickets also available.
Time: 4 PM and 8 PM seating
Chinese New Year Parade Los Angeles
Golden Dragon Parade – Since the mid-1980s, the Chinatown parade has expanded to include almost two dozen floats, multiple marching bands, government officials, various dignitaries, entertainers, local business leaders, and cultural groups.
The parade theme emphasizes ethnic diversity, Chinese culture, and exposure to Chinese-American businesses. The parade continues to be a rich and diverse experience for Angelenos of all ages and ethnicities.
Where: along North Broadway in Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA
When: Saturday, February 1, 2020 at 1:00 P.M.
Tickets: Event is FREE but if you wish to seat at the grandstand, you must purchase tickets.
Parking: It is recommended that you do not park or drive to Chinatown and take public transportation instead.
LA Chinese New Year Parade Route: Hill Street at Temple toward Bernard. Right on Bernard, right on Broadway back to Broadway & Temple.
Street closure Information (may change without notice):
- Freeway 110 exit and entrance on Hill Street will be closed between 10:30 am – 4:00 pm.
- Streets around assembly area , the portion of Hill Street between Ord and Temple will be close between 10:00 am – 4:00 pm.
- All streets around Hill Street and North Broadway between Bernard and Cesar Chavez will be closed between 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm.
Alhambra Lunar New Year Festival
The main celebration is a one-day street festival on Valley Blvd. between Vega and Almansor – the heart of the Chinese commercial district in the San Gabriel Valley. On the stages, there will be all-day entertainment with lion dances, kung fu demonstrations, and other ethnic performances.
When: February 1, 2020
Time: 10 AM – 7 PM
Tickets: FREE
Santa Monica Place Lunar New Year Celebration
Traditional cultural performance, arts & crafts, and enjoy special offers from participating stores & restaurants at Santa Monica Place.
photo courtesy of Santa Monica Place
Where: Santa Monica Place, 395 Santa Monica Place, Santa Monica, CA 90401
When: January 25, 2020
Time: 2 – 5 PM
Tickets: FREE
L.A. Chinatown Firecracker Run
The Los Angeles Chinatown Firecracker 5/10K Run/Walk is the largest and longest-running Lunar New Year charity run in the United States. Established in 1978, Firecracker has since grown to include a Bike Ride, Kiddie Run and PAW’er Dog Walk and serves the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area with support from the City of Los Angeles.
When: February 16 – 16, 2020
Where: 943 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Tickets: $25 – $80 for the run
San Gabriel Lunar New Year Festival
The festival will consist of Street Food Fair, Marketplace, Carnival Games, Chalk Art Contest, and Kids Zone!
When: February 8, 2020
Where: San Gabriel Mission District, 320 S Mission Dr, San Gabriel, CA 91776
Time: 11 AM – 8 PM
Tickets: Free Admission
Lunar New Year at The Grove LA – NO 2020 UPDATE YET
Celebrate Chinese New Year in Los Angeles with lively performances and cultural activities on Gilmore Lane and The Plaza of The Original Farmers Market.
Where: The Grove LA, 189 The Grove Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90036
When: no 2020 update yet
Time:
Tickets: This event is complimentary and open to the public.
2020 Chinese New Year Orange County Events Listing
Disney California Adventure Lunar New Year Celebration
Celebration includes:
- Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession
- Unique holiday entertainment
- Special appearances by some popular Disney Characters dressed in colorful event costumes
- Delicious Asian food
- Commemorative merchandise
- Festive décor and more
When: January 17 – February 9, 2020
Where: Disney California Adventure, 1313 Disneyland Dr, Anaheim, CA 92802
Tickets: Park Admission Cost – Check Disneyland Discount Tickets
Outlets at San Clemente Lunar New Year Celebration
Honoring the Year of the Rat, the fifth annual Lunar New Year Celebration returns with more than 50 performers from the Irvine Chinese School and San Diego-based Three Treasures Cultural Arts Society. Highlights include a Dragon Dance, the ever-popular interactive Lion Dance, martial arts demonstrations, arts and crafts activities, Red Envelopes and more.
When: January 25, 2020
Where: Oak Tree Court at the Outlets at San Clemente, 101 W Avenida Vista Hermosa, San Clemente, CA 92672
Time: 1 – 2 PM
Tickets: FREE
Bowers Museum Asian Lunar New Year Festival
Celebrate the Year of the Rat with dance, music and art from China, Vietnam and Korea. Dragon and lion dances by JC Culture will welcome in the new year. Enjoy a sample egg roll while creating paper lanterns and art scroll projects as you contemplate the diligence and positivity of those born in the year of the Rat.
When: February 2, 2020
Where: Bowers Museum, 2002 North Main Street, Santa Ana, CA 92706
Time: 11 – 3:30 PM
Tickets: Free festival. General admission to Bowers Museum is free on Festival Sundays for Members and Santa Ana residents only.
Fashion Island Lunar New Year Celebration
Join Fashion Island in celebrating Lunar New Year from January 25 – February 9 with a unique one-of-a-kind Year of the Rat interactive installation along with special promotions from retailers and restaurants. Also, check out the installation located at the Atrium Lawn by Hyde Park Jewelers and Vince for Instagram-worthy moments.
When: January 25 to February 9, 2020
Where: Fashion Island,401 Newport Center Dr, Newport Beach, CA 92660
Pretend City Lunar New Year Celebration
Celebrate Chinese traditions through fun, bright, activities and cultural learnings at Pretend City. Stop by the Art Studio to let your light shine as you cut, color, and decorate your own lanterns.
When: January 25, 2020
Where: Pretend City, 29 Hubble, Irvine, CA 92618
Time: 11 – 3 PM
Tickets: Included with museum admission
UVSA Tet Festival – OC Fairgrounds
The nation’s largest Vietnamese Lunar New Year Festival. Enjoy traditional food, performance, competitions from pho eating contest to balut eating contest. There’s also a Culture Village, pageants, and many more.
When: January 24, 25, and 26, 2020
Where: OC Fair & Event Center,
Time: varies by day, check website
Tickets: FREE – $6
Westminster Tet Parade
The Little Saigon Tet Parade is organized by the Vietnamese American Federation of Southern California. The purpose is to celebrate the Lunar New Year and to preserve and promote Vietnamese culture to the younger generations and to the greater community.
When: January 26, 2020
Where: Bolsa Ave. & Saigon St., Westminster, CA 92683
Time: 9 AM – 12 PM
Westminster Tet Parade Route: Westminster Blvd. (Brookfurst to Euclid)
Irvine Spectrum Center Lunar New Year Celebration
Activities to take place in the Giant Wheel courtyard include:
- Chinese dragon dance
- Lion Dance
- Greeters distributing fortune cookies*
- Lucky envelopes*
- Arts & Crafts*
- Entertainment
- *while supplies last
When: February 1, 2020
Where: Irvine Spectrum Center at Giant Wheel Court, 670 Spectrum Center Dr, Irvine, CA 92618
Time: 12 – 2 PM
Tickets: FREE
Segerstrom Lantern Festival
Family-friendly festival to commemorate the end of the Lunar New Year celebration with music, dance, art making, riddles and food. The concert hall lobby transforms for the festivities with lanterns created by community members and the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall is open to the public for performances featuring local music and dance groups. You’ll have the opportunity to decorate your very own lantern, take in live music, try your hand at solving a riddle, take a Chinese folk dance lesson and more!
The Lantern Festival takes place 15 days after the Lunar New Year—on the first full moon night in the lunar calendar—and marks the return of spring, representing the reunion of family.
When: February 22, 2022
Where: Segerstrom Concert Hall, 615 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Time: 11 AM – 5 PM
Tickets: FREE but tickets are required due to venue capacity, print your free tickets immediately.
2020 Chinese New Year Inland Empire Events Listing
Ontario Mills Lunar New Year Festival
Ring in the Lunar New Year with family-friendly activities – specifics to follow. The event will be held in Fashion Alley near Coach.
When: January 31, February 1 & 2, 2020
Where: Ontario Mills, 1 Mills Cir, Ontario, CA 91764
Time: 3 – 6 PM
Tickets: FREE
2020 Chinese New Year San Diego Events Listing
SD Tet Festival
Celebrate the new year with a festive environment with dragon and lion dances, firecrackers, games, food, and more!
When: January 17, 18, 19, 2020
Where: SDCCU (Quacolmm) Stadium – 9449 Friars Rd, San Diego, CA 92108
Time: varies, check website
Tickets: Children 12 and under are $4. Adults (13+) are $6. Children ages 2 and under are free. A 3-day ticket includes unlimited carnival rides and admission for 3 days for only $20!
SeaWorld Lunar New Year Celebration
Celebrate as the sights, sounds and aromas of Asia come alive during this local San Diego festival that’s fit for the whole family happening weekends January 11, 2020 – February 2, 2020 (to include Monday, January 20, 2020.) You won’t want to miss SeaWorld San Diego’s one-of-a-kind Lunar New Year celebration, featuring an incredible Chinese acrobats show, local performers, and delicious culinary delights. Dig into the Asian-inspired offerings of Ramen, Lo Mein, Bao Buns, Dim Sum, rice dishes and more.
When: select dates January 11 – February 2, 2020
Where: Sea World, 500 Sea World Dr, San Diego, CA 92109
Tickets: theme park admission + you may upgrade for reserved seating at the acrobats show. Check for SeaWorld San Diego Discount Tickets.
2020 Chinese New Year Palm Springs Events Listing:
Desert Hills Premium Outlets Lunar New Year Celebration – N0 2020 UPDATE YET
Enjoy lion dancer performances and Lunar New Year festivities
When: no 2020 update yet
Where: Desert Hills Premium Outlets,
Time:
Tickets: FREE
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Read: Chinese New Year Traditions & What they Symbolize
