Lunar New Year Festivities: Asian Feasts & Parades, Hidden Gems, and Hot Events! 🎉🧧

Here’s how Boston is celebrating Lunar New Year: Free Parades, Asian Cuisine Feasts, Hidden Gems, and Other Events! (Jan 21 –Jan 26, 2025)

Lunar New Year Festivities: Asian Feasts & Parades, Hidden Gems, and Hot Events! 🎉🧧

WHAT'S POPPIN'

This Is How Boston is Celebrating the Lunar New Year 🧧✨

Lunar New Year Parade in Chinatown with Lion Dance performances.

🥢 What Is It 🎉-Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is one of the most significant celebrations in East and Southeast Asian cultures. Marking the start of the lunar calendar, this holiday symbolizes renewal, prosperity, and good fortune. In 2025, the Lunar New Year falls on January 29th, but festivities often span several days and include traditional dance performances, gatherings with loved ones, and plenty of delicious food!

🌟 Year of the Snake 🐍- The Chinese zodiac believes that each year is associated with one of twelve animals. 2025 is the Year of the Snake (the sixth animal in the Chinese zodiac), and those born in the Snake years are often considered intelligent, intuitive, and resourceful. The Year of the Snake is said to be a transformative time for those actively pursuing personal growth. Like a snake shedding its skin, 2025 is your year to shed old habits and make space for positive change. How will you make more thoughtful decisions to create new opportunities for yourself?

🐉 Boston Celebrations 🦁- Boston's vibrant Lunar New Year celebrations showcase the city's rich cultural diversity. Join in the parades, lion and dragon dances, and other entertainment with our top picks below! Local restaurants are also organizing special New Year menus, featuring symbolic Asian dishes like fish representing abundance and dumplings representing wealth.

Our Top Lunar New Year Celebration Picks:

Lunar New Year City Hall Festival Gala 🧧

A multicultural Lunar New Year celebration for the community, with food and beverages, and spectacular performances like the traditional lion and dragon dance.

Free

When: Sunday, January 25th | 2pm to 4pm

Where: Boston City Hall, Boston

Learn More

Lunar New Year Feast at Pagu 🍲

Looking for a luxury 5-course meal with a lion dance show? Pagu offers an exclusive Lunar New Year meal with delicacies like Crispy Pork Belly, Beef Noodle Soup, Steamed Fish, Lotus Leaf Wrapped Sticky Rice, and more.

$75 per guest

When: Saturday, January 25th | 5pm Onwards

Where: Central Square, Cambridge

Learn More

Lunar New Year Night Market 🏮

Shop at Bow's special AAPI Night Market and enjoy a Lion Dance at 7pm.

Free

When: Thursday, January 30th | 5pm to 9pm

Where: Bow Market, Somerville

Visit Website

Lunar New Year MFA Exhibitions 🖼️

Celebrate the Lunar New Year by exploring Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese art from the collection.

$5 Lunar New Year Special Admission Price

When: Thursday, January 30th | 5pm to 10pm

Where: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Learn More

Lunar New Year Celebrations at MIT ✨

Enjoy crafts, hot drinks and snacks, face painting, and entertainment.

When: Saturday, February 8th | 1pm to 4pm

Where: 292 Main St, Cambridge

Visit Website

Lunar New Year Chinatown Parade 🎉

Lion Dance Parade in Chinatown, pop-up markets, other live performances, and community events.

Free

When: Sunday, February 9th | 10am to 4pm

Where: Philips Square, Chinatown

Learn More

Lunar New Year Bottomless Mei Mei Dumplings 🥟

Yes, you read that right. Bottomless, all you can eat, dumplings at Mei Mei's Asian-American fusion dumpling cafe. Drinks and cocktails can also be ordered.

$28 per guest

When: February 13th & February 27th | 5pm to 9pm

Where: 58 Old Colony Ave, South Boston

Learn More

Mei Mei Dumpling's Bottomless Dumpling Menu items.

HIDDEN GEM

Boston’s Secret Gem For Dope Vintage Finds 👀

Sowa Vintage's large vintage home and fashion collection.

💝 What Is It? – Nestled in the heart of Boston’s vibrant SoWa Arts + Design District in the South End, SoWa Vintage Market is an indoor, curated collection of vintage fashion, jewelry, furnishings, art, and unique objects. Featuring a rotating lineup of vendors every week, it’s a gem for anyone seeking one-of-a-kind treasures and timeless style.

🧥 What Makes It Special? – SoWa Vintage Market offers a thoughtfully curated experience. Each vendor is hand-selected, showcasing high-quality vintage goods that are truly unique. Enjoy retro fashion and medieval jewelry to mid-century furnishings and rare collectibles. With fresh finds every week, each visit promises a new and exciting experience.

🚶 Getting There – Conveniently located in Boston’s South End, the SoWa Vintage Market is easily accessible by public transit, car, or on foot. It’s just a 10-minute walk from the Tufts Medical Center Orange Line T-Stop, and free parking is available for those driving.

Don’t miss the chance to explore SoWa Vintage Market—you never know what treasures await!

SoWa Vintage 🧣👗

Visit Website

When: Every Sunday | 11am to 4pm

Where: 500 Harrison Ave, SoWa District, South End


THIS WEEKEND

Ice Sculpture Stroll shown left, Pride Market at Time Out shown right.

Ice Sculpture Scroll ❄️

In the Courtyard enjoy whimsical ice sculptures, a live DJ and music, hot chocolate station, food sampling, and more.

Free

When: Friday, January 24th | 4pm to 6pm

Where: 181 Linden Street, 45 Central Street, Wellesley

Made With Pride Market 🏳️‍🌈

Shop LGBTQ+-owned businesses in a curated selection of unique and thoughtful gifts.

Free

When: Saturday, January 25th | 12pm to 8pm

Where: Time Out Market Boston, 401 Park Drive, Boston

Frog Pond Yoga on Ice Class ⛸️

Focus on breathing and enjoying the present moment as you stretch and glide to music. (no downward-facing dog or triangle pose!)

Free

When; Sunday, January 26th | 7:30am to 8:30am

Where: Boston Commons, Frog Pond

WINTERACTIVE Walkable Art Experience 🎉

Enjoy a free, walkable art experience featuring more than 15 artworks and interactive play elements as you stroll the streets of Downtown Boston.

Free

When: January 15th to March 30th | All Day

Where: Winthrop Center, 115 Federal Street, Boston

Winter Fest at Hood Park 🎄

Winter Fest is bringing all the cozy, winter magic you could want to Charlestown’s Hood Park. This dazzling winter wonderland features ice skating, twinkling lights, live performances, and a ton of festive food and drink options. 

Free

When: December 5th to January 25th | Time Varies (See Calendar)

Where: 100 Hood Park, Charlestown, MA


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