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Honor the turn of the calendar with these Lunar New Year activities and events in DC.
With its acclaimed combination of western ballet and Chinese culture, the National Ballet of China is world-renowned and will return to the Kennedy Center to thrill DC audiences with this new ballet set to Tchaikovsky’s treasured Nutcracker score. A young Chinese girl celebrates the New Year and goes on a mystical journey through a world of festive Chinese customs and folklore.
Tickets
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20566
National Museum of Asian Art
The Smithsonian's free National Museum of Asian Art, known for an extensive collection of vibrant and colorful Asian art, will ring in the Year of the Snake with a family festival filled with all kinds of fun dedicated to the Lunar New Year as well as a specially themed market (open from 3-7 p.m.). The museum also hosts webinars dedicated to the Year of the Snake on Jan. 30 and 31.
Free Admission
Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art, 1050 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20560
Smithsonian American Art Museum
The Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) honors the Lunar New Year with this free celebration presented in partnership with the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center and the Korean Cultural Center, Washington, DC. Enjoy a plethora of Chinese and Korean traditions as well as dances, performances, arts and crafts, food and much more. The Kogod Courtyard Cafe will also offer a special Lunar New Year menu. Be sure to explore even more activities on SAAM’s Lunar New Year Family Zone.
Free Admission
Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th and G Streets NW, Washington, DC 20004
Join the DowntownDC BID for the 2025 Lunar New Year Parade in honor of the Year of the Snake. The annual parade includes colorful and diverse contingents, a ceremony with traditional performances and an exciting firecracker finale. The parade historically kicks off at 6th and I streets NW and the staged ceremony begins at the end of the parade route at 6th and H streets.
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6th and I Streets NW, Washington, DC 20001
As you walk through the bustling streets of Penn Quarter/Chinatown, you'll feel the energy of one of DC's most vibrant and historic neighborhoods. CityCenterDC provides high-end shopping and dining in an open-air setting, quality restaurants are abundant and museums are concentrated in historic locations in the neighborhood. The Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery are housed in the same building, with the National Gallery of Art a short walk away. You can also check out a play at Ford’s Theatre or Shakespeare Theatre Company.
Tip: Look closely at the sidewalk bricks to find carvings of zodiac signs.
Tous les Jours
Ring in the Lunar New Year with a festive meal in Washington, DC. A quintessential dining destination, Chinatown is home to restaurants, markets and food halls reflecting a variety of Asian cuisines. Luna Hall contains everything from dim sum to Asian-French fusion pastries, while special holiday menus provide an exclusive way to celebrate citywide—like special tasting experiences and entertainment at CUT Above.
Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center
Sightlines: Chinatown and Beyond, a new exhibit housed at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and presented by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, will showcase the imprint of Asian Americans on the physical and cultural terrain of the nation's capital. Installed in a gallery that overlooks Chinatown, the exhibition features examples of cultural products that feature Chinese, Korean and Japanese heritage and/or express coalitional Asian American and BIPOC identities. These include displays of artwork, material culture, images and other graphic material drawn from Smithsonian collections and shared by local lenders, including community members and repositories such as the DC History Center and the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center at Howard University.
11:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. | Free Admission
Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th & G Streets NW, Washington, DC 20004
The Kennedy Center offers a plethora of digital programming focused on the Lunar New Year, including performances from past celebrations, on its website. Enjoy videos and an array of virtual learning options from DC's most beloved cultural institution.
