Colorful parades, lion dances and feasts are Lunar New Year traditions. This year’s festivities usher in the Year of the Fire Horse, the seventh animal in the Chinese zodiac, which repeats every 12 years. People born in the Year of the Horse are often independent, enthusiastic and popular, according to the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association of Washington, D.C. The new year kicks off Feb. 17, but you can celebrate throughout the month.
17th Annual Chinese New Year Festival
The yearly party has several new additions to accompany the live performances, dragon parade and Asian food options the event is known for. At the Feb. 14, 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., festival, see a traditional Asian wedding ceremony showcase. Then browse the Essay & Arts Contest Exhibition, featuring creative works inspired by this year’s theme, Filial Piety, an essential moral value in Chinese culture. Luther Jackson Middle School, 3020 Gallows Road, Falls Church
Blooming Traditions at Capital One Hall
Celebrate heritage, hope and new beginnings at a performance Feb. 15, 3 p.m., that incorporates dance, music and cultural artistry. Tickets are $57.90-$83.55 for the all-ages show. 7750 Capital One Tower Road, Tysons
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Bar Chinois
Rosslyn Lunar New Year
Welcome the Year of the Horse with a fortune cookie from the Rosslyn Trike on Feb. 18, 1 p.m., at Central Place Plaza, and return to the same spot on Feb. 19, 5-7 p.m., for a free, family-friendly Lunar New Year celebration including a lion dance by Hung Ci Lion Dance Troupe. Find your zodiac animal and enjoy a celebratory tea from Upside on Moore. 1800 N. Lynn St., Arlington (Rosslyn)
Year of the Red Fire Horse Lunar New Year Celebration
Look on in wonder as the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company‘s dancers leap across the stage at the Alden Theatre. As part of their signature blending of traditional and contemporary moves, they will perform dragon and lion dances, including one created especially for the Year of the Horse. Tickets to the 90-minute show on Feb. 18, 7 p.m., cost $25-$35. 1234 Ingleside Drive, McLean
Smithsonian Institution Lunar New Year Festival
The National Museum of Asian Art will host a festival and pop-up market at the Smithsonian Arts + Industries Building on Feb. 21, noon-6 p.m. Enjoy cultural shows, food and shopping. Curators will offer tours and talks at the museum throughout the day. Participating food vendors include Roll Play, which has locations in Falls Church, Tysons and Rosslyn. Arlingtonian Christina Foy of Plants & What Knot will have a showing at the market. To attend, reserve a free pass. AIB, 900 Jefferson Drive, S.W., Washington, D.C., and 1050 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C.
Lunar New Year Party at Upside on Moore
Find happenings throughout the day Feb. 21, 11 a.m.- 9 p.m. All vendors, including Little Tiger Dumplings, will have special Chinese fusion dishes. At 3:30 p.m., gift cards will be passed out in red envelopes as a symbolic gift of luck and prosperity. At 5 p.m., the Night Market opens with treats from various vendors, and at 6 p.m., see the lion dance. 1700 N. Moore St., Arlington (Rosslyn)
Fairfax County Lunar New Year Celebration
On Feb. 21, 6-8 p.m., Twin Lakes Golf Course in historic Clifton will play host to crafts and cultural games, Asian cuisine, and performances of martial arts, dance and music. Get your $10 ticket here. 6201 Union Mill Road, Clifton
D.C. Chinese Lunar New Year Parade
Let’s hope the snow and ice clear in time for this Feb. 22, 2-4 p.m. event, in D.C.’s Chinatown. The annual parade will showcase community cultural performances, such as lion and dragon dances and marching bands. The party ends with a bang during the fireworks show on H Street. Sixth and I streets, N.W., through Sixth and H streets, N.W., Washington, D.C.
The Great Race: The Story of the Chinese Zodiac
Honolulu Theatre for Youth will bring this show about “The Great Race,” a Chinese folkloric tale and the origin story of the Chinese zodiac. Follow along as the Jade Emperor explores ways to tell time and orders a race to help him find it. The first 12 animals to cross the river will have a year named after them. See the show Feb. 28, 6 p.m., for $15-$25 per ticket. Alden Theatre, 1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean
Lunar New Year Happenings at MGM National Harbor
The hotel’s massive conservatory space takes visitors on an immersive experience. Displays feature eight horses galloping across 32 feet, a 25-foot-tall golden bamboo forest and a 15-foot illuminated red lantern to ward off bad luck and light the path for prosperity. Running Fridays and Saturdays through Feb. 28 is the Lunar Lounge by Hennessy, a cocktail pop-up with signature drinks and interactive games. On Feb. 15, 6 p.m., guests can catch a lion and dragon dance. 101 MGM National Ave., Oxon Hill, Maryland