It’s that time of year again. A huge number of people around the world will be celebrating the Lunar New Year, aka Chinese New Year. Many large cities across the US will have celebrations, but relatively few people outside of those cities know much about the celebration. We’re here to help you know the what and why of celebrating the Lunar New Year, plus show you a few of the celebrations going on around Hawai‘i.
What is the Lunar New Year?
This holiday has its roots in Asia where farmers in ancient China used the moon to help plan for the coming seasons. The celebration is essentially welcoming the coming Spring—this is why it’s also known as the Spring Festival.
The Lunar New Year was traditionally the most important festival every year. The entire household would become fixated on the celebration and work-life would essentially pause, allowing all to make home and family the primary focus.
Symbolism is a big part of the celebration. Think of the holiday as a way of leaving the old year behind and welcoming a new year, new you, new luck and new wealth. In fact, one of the most popular ways to say happy new year is Gong Hei Fat Choy, which in Cantonese more-or-less translates to “Hope you get rich!”
Households are thoroughly cleaned to appease the spirits coming to make inspections. The community gathers, often wearing the symbolic color red to bring good luck and prosperity in the coming year, exchange red envelopes with cash gifts, and participate in festivals with parades, music, dancing, and fireworks.
During the first five days, celebrations involve eating long noodles as a symbol of living a long life. Extended families share a meal together that includes a fish course that symbolizes abundance. And finally, on the last day of the New Year, dumplings in the shape of the full moon are shared to symbolize the family unit.
When is the Lunar New Year?
Lunar New Year doesn’t always fall on the same calendar day each year—you gotta do a little math to determine when the celebration can begin. The formula is pretty easy—it’s on the day after the second new moon after the winter solstice. The celebration lasts until the next full moon—so for around 15 days! The biggest celebrations happen at the start and end of this time period, but there’s usually events throughout the two weeks. This year, Lunar New Year lands on January 29th and lasts through February 13th.
Celebrate Lunar New Year in 2025
There are many traditions that go with Lunar New Year. Some are fairly universal, while others are unique to specific areas and communities. A fun part of the Lunar New Year is how it ties to the Chinese zodiac. You’ve probably seen this at Chinese restaurants at some point. The lunar calendar follows a 12-year cycle, with each year represented by a different animal as well as an element (water, wood, fire, earth and metal). The animal repeats every twelve years while the element repeats every ten, though it doesn’t repeat for the same animal for another 60 years (more math, sorry).
The new element and animal this year is the Wood Snake. It will be the year of the Snake again in 2037 but it won’t be the year of the Wood Snake again until 2085! The Chinese zodiac is incredibly detailed and complex, with all kinds of advice on how the different signs relate to each other, especially when it comes to business dealings and romance. Just like with Western zodiac, take it all with a grain of salt. Finding your sign and all the idiosyncrasies that go with it can be a fun way to get into the spirit of things, and it might surprise you how insightful some of it can be.
We don’t have snakes in Hawai‘i—this snowflake eel is the closest we could get.
Even if you’re not in an area that celebrates the Lunar New Year, there’s plenty you can do at home to get in the spirit of the holiday. We’ll start with one that’s not exactly fun, but is an important part of the tradition—cleaning the house. It’s something many people in Western cultures do during this time of the year anyway—we just call it Spring Cleaning. This is about getting rid of the previous year’s clutter, mess and bad luck. You want to do this before the new year though, as it’s considered bad luck to clean on the new year. You don’t want to be sweeping away any of that new luck and good fortune you invited in for the new year.
Okay, enough of the work part of bringing in luck. Now the fun stuff. You don’t want any unlucky spirits you may have picked up in the last year to stick with you, so you want to change your appearance. This means getting a new haircut and wearing new clothes (preferably red). Nothing wrong with a holiday that gives you an excuse to update your wardrobe and style. Now that you’re a new you, last year’s bad luck won’t even recognize you.
Lunar New Year Events in Hawaii for 2025
Each island has several celebrations, though the biggest are found on O‘ahu in Chinatown. Since Lunar New Year falls on a Wednesday this year, many organizations are doing their biggest celebrations the weekend before or the weekend after February 29th.
Kaua‘i Lunar New Year Events
- Friday, January 31st, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at The Shops at Kukui‘ula in Po‘ipu
- Flavors of Kukui‘ula: Lunar New Year: The celebration has been combined with the one of the Shops’ regular events. They will have lion dances, taiko drummers, firecrackers and live music, as well as local vendors and food from some of the nearby restaurants. This is a family-friendly event.
O‘ahu Lunar New Year Events
- Saturday, January 25th, from 9 a.m to 10 p.m. in Honolulu and Chinatown on Beretania Street
- Chinatown Festival & Parade: This is the biggest Lunar New Year celebration in the state. Check out their website for a detailed schedule of events, activities and performances. Just keep in mind the parade starts at 4:30 p.m. on Hotel Street, traveling from the State Capitol Building to River Street.
Maui Lunar New Year Events
- Saturday, February 1st, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Maui Mall in Kahului
- Maui Mall Village Chinese New Year Festival: This is Maui’s largest celebration. There is a packed schedule of events (including two opportunities to see lion dances) as well as activities throughout the festival such as arts and crafts for kids, displays on Maui’s Chinese history and culture, plus food vendors.
Big Island Lunar New Year Events
- Saturday, January 25th, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Honoka‘a Heritage Center (Eastside of Big Island)
- Lunar New Year Celebration 2025: Lots of all day events for the family, including a Japanese Obon Dance at 11:30 a.m. and a taiko drum performance at noon. This is great opportunity to explore one of our favorite historic towns on Big Island’s Hamakua Coast.
- Friday, January 31st, from 4 p.m. to 8 pm. at the Lanihau Center in Kailua-Kona on Palani Street.
- Lunar New Year Event: The schedule is still being finalized, but expect activities for kids, live entertainment, plus food and craft vendors.
- Saturday, February 8th, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Queen’s Marketplace in the Waikoloa Resort Area
- Lunar New Year Celebration: This celebration will feature firecrackers and lion dance, kids’ crafts and activities, live music, plus food and craft vendors.
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