Welcome the arrival of spring with the Lunar New Year, this year celebrating the Year of the Dragon. The Lunar New Year lasts 15 days, beginning on Saturday, Feb. 10, and acts as a period for feasting, honoring ancestors, cleaning, and ushering in good energy for the upcoming year. Traditions vary among Eastern and Southeast Asian cultures, so there are truly a variety of ways to celebrate. We’ve rounded up the most fabulous Lunar New Year celebrations in Chicago that you should explore for a prosperous start to the Year of the Dragon.
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Argyle Street & Winthrop Avenue / Website
Date: Saturday, Feb. 17, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (parade kick-off at 1 p.m.)
Welcome the new year with an afternoon of community festivities. The annual Argyle Street parade will feature more than 20 local community groups, cultural institutions, performers and dancers. Additional pop-ups and family-friendly activities will line the streets. Then, get to know the area a bit more with a self-guided tour of Uptown’s vibrant murals and public artwork using the organization’s public art map. Free to attend
24th Street & Wentworth Avenue / Website
Date: Sunday, Feb. 18 at 1 p.m.
Watch in awe as traditional dragon and lion dancing teams fill the streets with colorful fanfare. Marching bands and marching groups will provide tunes and beats for the parade. Free to attend
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108 E. Superior St. / Website
Date: Friday, Jan. 26 to Sunday, Feb. 11
Head to The Peninsula Chicago for a slew of fabulous Lunar New Year celebrations. Chef Elmo Han has created a six-course menu of Chinese favorites that will be served at the hotel’s restaurant, Shanghai Terrace. The menu is set to feature a Shanghai Terrace appetizer trio followed by Golden Shrimp, steamed Chilean sea bass, traditional lemon chicken, beef tenderloin in XO Sauce and a dessert of Strawberry Inspiration Chocolate Mousse. Pair it with the restaurant’s Chinese New Year-inspired cocktail Yellow Earth, comprised of chili and goji berry-infused Grey Goose vodka, mandarin clementines, lime and grapefruit bitters. The six-course menu is priced at $168 per person. Reservations can be made here.
Looking for more of a daytime celebration spot? Check out The Lobby restaurant’s Chinese New Year afternoon tea special, available with seatings at 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. from Feb. 9-11. Enjoy sweet and savory bites themed to the holiday as well as a lion dance that starts at the hotel’s front entrance at 3:00 pm and continues in The Lobby at 3:30 p.m. With colorful costumes, loud drumbeats and strong cymbal crashes, evil spirits will be scared away and your crew will be entertained. Kids are even invited to “feed” the lion with lettuce for good luck in the new year, making it a perfect and memorable event for the whole family. Afternoon tea is priced at $140 per person. Reservations can be made here.
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840 E. Grand Ave. (Aon Grand Ballroom) / Website
Date: Saturday, Feb. 10, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Celebrate the new year and AAPI cultures through the power of local AAPI performers. This afternoon music festival will feature food vendors, contemporary music performances, as well as local artists, dancers, and musicians. Performers are set to include Chicago Korean Dance Company, Soul Power and more as well as K-Pop performances by Rev X, Prism Kru, and PK Neo. Join in this fun celebration of Chicago’s AAPI community. Free to attend
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2140 S. Archer Ave. / Website
Date: Feb. 17-18, 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Join the Chicago Chinese Cultural Institute for its 20th annual celebration of dumpling-making, storytelling and live lion dancing on the second floor of Hing Kee Restaurant. Founder of the Chicago Chinese Cultural Institute, Z.J. Tong, has led the event for over 15 years and this year’s event will be the first since the start of the pandemic. Bring the whole family to learn a new tradition and to nosh on a lineup of delicious foods. The event is priced starting at $38 per child 12 years old and under and $50 per adult. Tickets can be purchased here.
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5220 Fashion Outlets Way, Rosemont / Website
Date: Feb. 10-25
Head to Fashion Outlets of Chicago for special discounts and a day of crafts and activities. On Saturday, Feb. 10, the shopping center will celebrate the start of the new year with games, lantern crafting, Chinese calligraphy, and special cultural performances, all held in the food court starting at 1 p.m. To entertain guests, the Huaxing Arts Group will feature a children’s choir, Chinese yo-yo, two-string violinist, and kung fu demonstrations. Free to attend
Savvy shoppers will be excited to learn that traditional red envelopes will be passed to guests who visit Concierge Services between Saturday, Feb. 10 and Sunday, Feb. 25. Each free envelope will contain special Lunar New Year offers and services from participating retailers, and a savings pass that will provide up to $800 in savings from Fashion Outlets’ retailers.
2131 S. Archer Ave. / Website
Date: Feb. 15, 5:30 p.m.
Join the Chicago Chinatown Chamber of Commerce in a grand traditional Lunar New Year dinner feast at one of the neighborhood’s most iconic restaurants. Tickets are $150 per person and can be purchased here.
Night Market: 3630 S. Iron St. / Website
Date: Monday, Feb. 12, 6-10 p.m.
Year of the Dragon Party: 216 W. Cermak Ave. / Website
Date: Tuesday, Feb.13, 6-9 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m.
Chinatown cocktail hot spot Nine Bar hosts this Asian-inspired night market hosted at Bridgeport’s Marz Community Brewing Co. Expect tasty bites by Nine Bar and Novel Pizza, libations from Nine Bar and Marz Brewing, and plenty of local AAPHI vendors with a soundtrack spun by Francine Almeda. For even more from Nine Bar, make tracks to the bar at 216 W. Cermak Ave. on Feb. 13 for what's guaranteed to be Chinatown’s ultimate Lunar New Year bash. Tickets required and can be purchased here.
110 W. Illinois St. / Website
Date: Feb. 10-29
Visit Sunda New Asian for a special menu of Lunar New Year specials, set to feature the best of Chinese cuisine. On the menu, find cumin lamb dumplings, seafood lo mein, pan-seared rainbow trout, and a ‘luck and wealth’ assortment of sweets. Reservations can be made here.
Looking for more luxe stops in the city? Check out our picks for Chicago's Best Spots for Mocktails.
Photography by: Paulo Evangelista / Unsplash
