The Year of the Fire Horse begins Tuesday, Feb. 17, and continues for two weeks (and longer, beginning with pre-new year preparations the week before!), bringing firecrackers, lion dances, fresh oranges, bánh tét sticky rice cakes, red envelopes and more to neighborhoods across Philly and the world — including China and Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Macau, and Mauritius — that means 15 days of celebrations, ceremonies, and visiting of family and friends.
Why a horse? Much like our Gregorian calendar, the lunar calendar features 12 zodiac signs, but instead of symbols from Greek mythology and astrology, the Chinese zodiac symbols are animals, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. People born in the year of the Horse are said to be headstrong, charismatic, adventurous, intelligent and passionate. These include people born in 2026, 2014, 2002, 1990, 1978, 1966, 1954 and 1942.
Children born this year and in 1966 are specifically a Fire Horse — five elements rotate: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. Those born in a Fire year are considered more likely to be courageous, passionate, energetic and decisive. They area also associated with the compass direction of south, the summer season, and the color red.
If you want to do some celebrating of your own to welcome the Year of the Fire Horse, we’ve got you covered: Here is some Lunar New Year 101 info and our recommendations for where you should shop, eat and go to participate in the fun.
Symbols and Traditions
Red is a common color across Lunar New Year celebrations, appearing in decorations, clothing and more as ways to invite luck, prosperity and happiness into the home for the new year.
In Chinese culture, bright colors such as gold, orange and purple are also worn to scare away evil spirits and bad fortune for the coming new year. Gold represents wealth and good fortune. As the new year is a springtime holiday, the bright colors and new clothing also represent rebirth – new beginnings. Green represents springtime and flowers. Homes and stores are decorated with sprigs of plum blossom, narcissus and sunflowers, as well as sticks of bamboo and leafy bunches of kumquats and oranges. These blooms and fruits symbolize good fortune and life.
How a color or other symbolic item sounds when spoken in Mandarin or Cantonese also plays a part in how lucky it is. For example, “red” is spoken as “hong,” which sounds like the word for “prosperous.” Good luck numbers include six and eight, but NOT four, as the sound for “four” sounds like the Chinese word for “death.”
The Lion Dance is possibly the most visible and entertaining part of Chinese New Year celebrations in America. It is a ritual done not just during new year celebrations but also during the grand openings of new businesses and celebrations like weddings and festivals in order to ward off evil spirits and bring prosperity to the new endeavor.
As with the Philadelphia Suns, lion dance groups are also an opportunity to provide educational, athletic and cultural support for local youth.
In Vietnamese culture, various plants and fruits are popular symbols of growth, peace, good fortune and happiness for the Lunar New Year, or Tết. Specific symbols often depend on which region people reside in – but fruits like oranges or pomelos can serve as a sign of prosperity, while things like peach blossoms or cherry trees can signal good fortune.
Vietnamese traditions range widely as well. “Xông Đất,” or The First Visitor of the Year, centers on the belief that the first visitor into the house during the New Year will influence the fortune and fate of the new year. This often involves inviting select guests with good character, morals and success into the house first to ensure good fortune for the new year. Another popular tradition is Lì Xì, or red envelopes. Typically, elders give these envelopes to young children and adults to signal success and good fortune in the year ahead.
Food is also symbolic for the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. In the North, Banh Chung, a sticky rice cake with banana leaves, is typically the most popular dish. In Central Vietnam, the savory Bánh Tét cake with rice and green beans is often used to celebrate the new year. Thịt Kho Tàu – a pork and egg dish – is very popular in South Vietnam.
In Japanese culture, Lunar New Year celebrations are not as widespread here as in other Asian countries. Japan has since aligned its practices with the modern New Year. These celebrations include traditions such as “Osouji,” or house cleaning, prior to the new year, visiting “hatsumode” shrines and temples to pray for good fortune, and “osechi-ryori” dishes, which are aesthetically arranged dishes with symbolic meaning. Various places throughout the country still celebrate the Lunar New Year, with festivals including lion and dragon dances, lanterns, costumes, and musical parades and performances.
In Korea, Lunar New Year, or Seollal, includes many symbolic traditions, symbols and cultural practices as well. Sebae is an important Korean tradition that involves kneeling on the ground and bowing deeply. This is often done while wearing hanbok, or traditional Korean clothes, and is often done by younger people to their elders to show respect. Another tradition is charye, which involves setting out food in front of a family’s ancestral tablets to show respect to their ancestors.
During this time, exchanging gifts, including health products, fruit or money are seen as signs of good luck, fortune and prosperity. Additionally, kite flying, or yeonnalligi, is symbolic of letting go of old worries. Mandu, or Korean dumplings, are also popular to make and eat during this time.
Other countries, such as Malaysia, hold Lunar New Year celebrations as well, where festivities last 15 days. On the ninth day of festivities, Pai Thnee Kong (in Penang) or Thnee Kong Sei (in Hokkien) focus on making offerings – including things like fruit or flowers – to the Jade Emperor. On the final day of celebrations, residents also decorate their houses with bright light displays (Chap Goh Mei).
The red envelope tradition, lion dances and traditional Chinese New Year foods are featured in Lunar New Year celebrations all over Asia and the world. Specific traditions, symbols and customs are often fully dependent on the region of celebration and family tradition.
Where to Grocery Shop
Above all, the new year is primarily a time for family and fresh starts. That means doing some early spring cleaning, shopping for fresh flowers and gifts, and celebrating with lucky foods.
Across Philadelphia’s Asian American community, family-run and chain markets don’t just provide fresh food, but also a taste of home and a sense of community, for immigrants and longtime residents alike.
As Philly restauranteur Judy Ni sums up, ”Many of the area’s markets are actually ‘hidden treasures.’ ”
Whether you want to make dumplings at home or grab some takeout and snacks, these shops have got you covered.
Chinatown
- Asianfresh Food Market at 144 N. 10th Street
- Heng Fa Supermarket at N. 10th and Cherry streets
- EnJoy Market (basement of 143 N. 11th Street)
South Philly
- Oregon market at 3rd and Oregon (320 W Oregon Ave.)
- No. 1 Asian Supermarket at 2842 St. Vincent Street
- Hung Vuong Food Market at 1122 Washington Avenue
West Philly
- Alrayyan Food Market at 121 S. 43rd Street
- Dana Mandi at 4211 Chestnut Street
- International Foods & Spices at 4203 Walnut Street
Elsewhere
- H-Mart, which has a food court! (Elkins Park, Olney)
- Maido (Ardmore)
- Hung Vuong Food Market, 6420 Sackett Street inside Mayfair Shopping Center
Where to Eat
For 150 years, Philly’s Chinatown has served as a hub and launching pad for new immigrant communities from across the Asian American diaspora, which eventually spread South, West, Northeast and into the suburbs.
- Tai Lake Seafood Restaurant (134 N. 10th Street)
- EMei (915 Arch Street)
- Sang Kee Peking Duck House (238 N. 9th Street, plus a stall in Reading Terminal Market)
- Bubblefish (909 Arch Street)
- Vietnam Restaurant (221 N. 11th Street)
- Chubby Cattle Shabu (146 N. 10th Street)
- Kampar (611 S. 7th Street)
- Han Dynasty (110 Chestnut Street and 3711 Market Street)
- Mei Mei (33 S. 2nd Street)
- Banana Leaf Malaysian (1009 Arch Street)
- Seorabol (1326 Spruce Street)
Social Media Stars
- Mawn (764 S. 9th Street) is a perpetually packed Cambodian noodle house with reservations booking far in advance, whose chef Phila Lorn is a 2025 James Beard Award semifinalist for Emerging Chef.
- Càphê Roasters (3400 J Street G1) is the first and only Vietnamese specialty coffee roastery in Philadelphia, operating in Kensington with a seasonal menu of sweet and savory dishes.
- Hardena (1754 S Hicks Street #2217) kept their small business alive during the COVID pandemic in part through regular “pizza box” drops full of carefully prepared, home-cooked Indonesian food.
- Kalaya, a Thai restaurant in Fishtown (4 W. Palmer Street) is one of Philly’s first restaurants to make the Michelin-selected list, and is another James Beard semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurant, with owner/chef Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon a 2023 Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic winner.
- Baby’s Kusina and Market (2816 W. Girard Avenue) offers creative and traditional takes on Filipino cuisine in Fairmount.
Dim Sum
For classic dim sum with rolling carts of food, there’s Ocean Harbor (1023 Race Street) and Ocean City (234 N. 9th Street, next to Sang Kee) in Chinatown, China Gourmet (2842 St. Vincent Street) in Northeast Philly, and Grand Palace (600 Washington Avenue #3B) in South Philly.
Far more options exist for a la carte dim sum, to the point where we might have reached a saturation point in some areas, like how Race Street between 10th and 11th streets has three dim sum spots within 300 feet of one another.
- Dim Sum Garden (1024 Race Street) often has lines out the door, even in winter.
- Dim Sum House by Jane G’s in University City (3939 Chestnut Street, 2nd Floor) offers all-day Cantonese and Shanghai dim sum, as well as dishes from the Jiang Nan region of China.
- Tom’s Dim Sum (59 N. 11th Street) sits beneath the overpass of the Pennsylvania Convention Center
- Beijing Duck Seafood (911 Race Street) is a recent addition to the neighborhood
- Nom Wah Philadelphia (218 N. 13th Street) is the Philly outpost of NYC’s oldest continuously operating dim sum restaurant.
- Ray’s Cafe and Tea House (141 N. 9th Street) is frequently on the lips of Philadelphians and visitors alike as a beloved and cozy family-run spot for coffee and classic treats alike.
- Dodo Bakery (2653 S. 11th Street)
- Dim Sum Kingdom (1020 Race Street) is the newest addition to the lineup, opening in Dim Sum Garden’s previous space.
What to Do and See
Parades, special dinners, cooking workshops, festivals and more are scheduled across Philly and its suburbs over the next two weeks. Visit Philly has a list of some of the big ones, and we go further with more community events below to check out.
This list is still developing, and we will update/add more items as we discover them.
Multi-Day Events
Lunar New Year at the Comcast Center Campus
When: Through Sunday, March 8
What: Comcast hosts an annual monthlong celebration, featuring screenings of “DreamWorks Po’s Awesome Lunar New Year Adventure,” lion dances, local art and artists, kid activities and more.
Where: 1800 Arch Street, Upper Lobby
Cost: Free with sign-up
Friday, February 13
Lunar New Year Celebration
What: How do people celebrate Lunar New Year, and what traditions make this holiday special? Learn about Lunar New Year customs and share good wishes with friends and the community.
Where: Folk Arts-Cultural Treasures Charter School, 1023 Callowhill Street
When: 4 to 6 p.m.
Cost: Free
Sunday, February 15
Lunar New Year Market
What: Support local AAPI artists, businesses and community orgs this Lunar New Year at Asian Americans United’s market.
Where: FACTS Charter School, 1023 Callowhill Street
When: 1 to 4 p.m.
Cost: Pay-as-you-go
Monday, February 16
Chinatown Midtown Parade
What: Welcome the new year with hundreds of neighbors from across the Philly region in Chinatown, with lion dancing from the Philadelphia Suns, firecrackers and a parade through the neighborhood before coalescing around 10th Street between Arch and Race streets.
When: 10 p.m. to midnight
Wednesday, February 18
Lunar New Year Karaoke Happy Hour
What: Sing your heart out and enjoy light refreshments and special LNY cocktails while checking out AAI’s latest exhibit.
Where: Asian Arts Initiative, 1219 Vine Street
When: 5 to 8 p.m.
Cost: $15 tickets
Saturday, February 21
52 Weeks of Firsts: First Authentic Chinese Gate Built In America: 1984
What: Step through the iconic archway that sparked a cultural renaissance. Built in 1984, Philadelphia’s Friendship Gate was the first authentic Chinese gate in the U.S., a stunning symbol of international partnership and community pride. Attend the public Firstival celebration.
Where: Crane Community Center, 1001 Vine Street
When: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Lunar New Year at the Please Touch Museum
What: Learn about zodiac animals, ride the carousel, enjoy storytime, practice Chinese calligraphy, launch a festive rocket, watch lion dances and enjoy an end-of-day parade! Check out the full schedule online.
Where: Please Touch Museum, 4231 Avenue of the Republic
When: 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Cost: Included in $24 admission
Lunar New Year at Reading Terminal Market
What: The Philadelphia Suns perform a lion dance to bring prosperity to local businesses in the new year. While in Philly’s iconic indoor market, sample treats from some of the many vendors selling festive foods.
Where: Reading Terminal Market, 12th Street between Filbert and Arch streets
When: 11:30 a.m.
Lunar New Year at the Rail Park
What: Festivities will include lion dances by the Philadelphia Suns and the Penn Lions, tai chi performances by the Crane Center Tai Chi Team, and KPop dance classes by Ballet Sunmi. Plus: a flower market by Horticulture, horseback riding with the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club, and the much-anticipated return of the Rail Park Bao Bar and Sego Food Truck.
Where: The Rail Park, entrances at 1300 Noble Street and 1150 Callowhill Street
When: 1 to 4 p.m.
Lunar New Year at Quig’s Pub
What: Enjoy snacks like banh mi charcuterie, dumplings, cold peanut noodle salad, bánh tét, tapioca pudding and almond cookies. Play games like bầu cua cá cọp (gourd crab fish tiger), red envelope-making, and a live performance by local KPop dance crew Etoile. There will also be a spiritual offering table.
Where: Quig’s Pub at Plays & Players Theatre, 1714 Delancey Place, 3rd Floor (not wheelchair accessible)
When: 6 to 9 p.m.
Cost: $17.85 tickets
Sunday, February 22
Lunar New Year Chinatown Walking Tour
What: Attend a Chinatown walking tour led by an AAU staff. This tour will be especially festive because it will end in the parade.
When: 10 to 11 a.m.
Cost: Free with registration
Chinatown Lunar New Year Daytime Parade
What: Welcome the new year with hundreds of neighbors from across the Philly region in Chinatown, with lion dancing from the Philadelphia Suns, firecrackers and a parade through the neighborhood before coalescing around 10th Street between Arch and Race streets.
When: 11 a.m.
