Lunar New Year
Celebrations for 2025
- PCC Lunar New Year CelebrationLunar New Year Celebration 2025 is happening January 29th from 3–6pm at Southeast Mt Tabor Hall, Great Hall. Featuring a performance by the White Lotus Lion Dancers, free food, traditional crafts and games, red envelope gifts, and more!
- 9th Annual Lunar New Year Dragon Dance Parade & CelebrationJoin the Portland Chinatown Museum for their 9th Annual Lunar New Year Dragon Dance Parade and Celebration on Saturday, February 8, 2025 from 10:00am-1:00pm. Presented in partnership with the Oregon Historical Society
- Lan Su Chinese GardensJoin the celebrations at the Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland from January 29 - February 23, 2025.
- Vietnamese Community of Oregon’s Tết FestivalAttend the VNCO Tết Festival on
Februrary 1, 2025 at 10:30am at Leodis V. McDaniel High School. - Oregon 2025 Lunar New Year CelebrationPresented by Chinese Friendship Association of Portland at the Keller Auditorium on February 1, 2025.
- Tết in Seattle from Seattle CenterCelebrate on January 25-26, 2025 in person at the Seattle Center
- White Lotus Market: Lunar New Year Food FestA festive food celebration featuring delicious bites and drinks from local AAPI vendors. February 15 & 16, 12 PM – 9 PM at Shun Fat (SF) Supermarket (5253 SE 82nd Ave, Portland, OR)
- 2025 Chinese New Year Cultural FairThe Chinese New Year Cultural Fair returns to the Oregon Convention Center on Saturday, February 1, 2025.
Happy New Year from the PCC Library!
The Year of the Snake begins on January 29, 2025 and ends on February 16, 2026.
May the New Year bring you good fortune and happiness!
*image from the 2017 Dragon Dance & Parade in Portland, Oregon by CH, CC-BY-4.0.
Lunar New Year
The Chinese tradition of representing the years with animals dates back to the Han dynasty (approx. 220 BCE). The 12 year cycle of the animals in the Chinese Zodiac is similar to astrological signs. Each year is represented by an both animal and element. People who are born in that year are said to have the particular characteristics or mannerisms of the animal, both positive and negative, that are also effected by the element. The 12 animals include: rat/mouse, ox/buffalo, tiger, rabbit/cat, dragon, snake, horse, sheep/goat/ram, monkey, chicken/cock/rooster, dog, and pig. The 5 elements include: metal, water, wood, fire, and earth. January 29, 2025, is the beginning of the year of the wood snake.
The Lunar New Year is an important traditional holiday to China and other Asian countries such as Vietnam, Korea, and Taiwan. It is also known as Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, Asian New Year, Tsagaan Sar, Seollal, or Tết. It occurs on the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar. The exact date of the Lunar New Year can vary from year to year on the Gregorian (U.S.) calendar, which is based on the cycles of the sun, since the lunar calendar is based on the phases of the moon.
The Lunar New Year is celebrated over a number of days. It is a time for merriment and remembrance with family and friends. Traditional customs include gifts of red envelopes and oranges; special foods such as dumplings and long noodles; and celebrations with fireworks and lion dancers.
*image of lanterns from Dileep Kaluaratchie, CC4.0
- Last Updated: Jan 27, 2025 12:34 PM
- URL: https://guides.pcc.edu/LunarNewYear
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