Celebrate The Year of the Rat (Lunar New Year) with these Local Chinese New Year Events

Saturday January 25, 2020 is Chinese New Year!

Maybe you don’t know how to celebrate Chinese New Year … well don’t miss out! It’s a fun, vibrant, 2 week long celebration and Jersey Family Fun is your resource for local Chinese New Year events all over New Jersey.

Before you start – know that 2020 is the year of the rat; it’s the year 4718 in the Lunar New Year. Chinese New Year animals take on a lot of significance in these events each year. Each year the dragon is an important part of Chinese New Year Celebrations. It symbolizes, strength, benevolence, strength and good fortune. Incorporate the dragon and the rat into your fun and find some Chinese New Year crafts your children can do to get them excited for the events.

Chinese New Year Events in New Jersey

Visit one of the following New Jersey libraries for FREE Chinese New Year Events

• Lunar New Year at Clifton Allwood Library – Learn more about this Chinese New Year event in Clifton, New Jersey.

• Lunar New Year at Brick Library – Learn more about this Chinese New Year event in Brick, New Jersey.

• Lunar New Year Celebration at Bridgewater Library – Learn more about this Chinese New Year event in Bridgewater, New Jersey.

• Lunar New Year Celebration – East Brunswick – Learn more about this Chinese New Year event in East Brunswick, New Jersey.

• Celebrate the New Year with Dog Tales at Edison Library – Learn more about this Chinese New Year event in Edison, New Jersey.

• Lunar New Year Celebration at the Fort Lee Library – Learn more about this Chinese New Year event in Fort Lee, New Jersey.

• Celebrate Chinese New Year at Glen Rock Library – Learn more about this Chinese New Year event in Glen Rock, New Jersey.

• Lunar New Year at Hoboken Library – Learn more about this Chinese New Year event in Hoboken, New Jersey.

• Lunar New Year at Jackson Library – Learn more about this Chinese New Year event in Jackson, New Jersey.

• Children’s Lunar New Year Celebration at Leonia Library – Learn more about this Chinese New Year event in Leonia, New Jersey.

• Lunar New Year Celebration at Montville Library – Learn more about this Chinese New Year event in Montville, New Jersey. 

• Celebrate the Lunar New Year at Old Bridge Library – Learn more about this Chinese New Year event in Old Bridge, New Jersey.

• Chinese New Year for Kids at the Kennedy Library – Learn more about this Chinese New Year event in Piscataway, New Jersey.

• Chinese New Year Celebration at Plainsboro Library – Learn more about this Chinese New Year event in Plainsboro, New Jersey.

• Chinese New Year Celebration at the Princeton Library – Learn more about this Chinese New Year event in Princeton, New Jersey.

• Lunar New Year Celebration at Ramsey Library – Learn more about this Chinese New Year event in Ramsey, New Jersey

• Lunar New Year at River Edge Library – Learn more about this Chinese New Year event in River Edge, New Jersey.

• Lunar New Year Celebration at Eastern Branch Library – Learn more about this Chinese New Year event in Shrewsbury, New Jersey.

• Chinese New Year Celebration at the Summit Library – Learn more about this Chinese New Year event in Summit, New Jersey.

• Lunar New Year Celebration at Voorhees Library – Learn more about this Chinese New Year event in Voorhees, New Jersey.

• Chinese New Year Celebration – West Orange – Learn more about this Chinese New Year event in West Orange, New Jersey.

Visit one of these other Chinese New Year Events in New Jersey

Celebrate the Chinese Lunar Year or Chinese New Year traditions at the Zoo or a Museum .. or even the arboretum!

• Reeves-Reed Arboretum, Summit, January 23, 2020, 4:00 – 5:30 PM, $25/person non members. Come celebrate the Chinese New Year with crafts and stories commemorating the Year of the Rat! Registration is required. For more information visit their site here or call 908-273-8787.

• Cora Hartshorn Arboretum, Short Hills, January 19, 2020, 12 PM and 2 PM, $8/person. Join the CHA and the Chinese Association of Millburn-Short Hills as they shake off the winter blues and celebrate the Lunar New Year by following the lion through the woods. Be prepared to make some noise and welcome spring with games, trivia, crafts, and stories. For more information visit their site here or call 973-376-3587.

New York Chinese New Year Events

Visit one of these other Chinese New Year Events in New York

• China Institute, Manhattan, February 2, 2020, 12 PM, FREE. Kick off the Year of the Rat with China Institute’s signature Lunar New Year Celebration for families. The festival opens with a lion dance followed by New Year-themed workshops and activities including dumpling making, lantern-making, educational workshops, interactive storytelling, paper cutting, New Year treats, crafts, and a special Year of the Rat puppet show by Chinese Theatre Works. For more information visit their site here or call 212-744-8181.

• Museum of Chinese in America, Manhattan, February 1, 2020. $12/person. Enjoy zodiac arts & crafts, lively dance performances, festive snacks, and timeless tales inspired by Chinese and Chinese American New Year’s traditions. For more information visit their site here or call 855-955-MOCA.

Watch a Chinese New Year parade or fireworks!

No Chinese New Year parades that we could find in New Jersey, but head across the Hudson for the following:

• Manhattan Lunar New Year Parade, Sunday February 9, 2020 1 PM, East Houston through Canal Street

• Chinatown NYC Lunar New Year Firecracker Ceremony, January 25, 2020 11 AM, Grand and Chrystie Streets

Linden HS students performing a dragon dance

We are updating as we find more Chinese New Year events, celebrations, parades, and festivals. Check back often!

Not ready to dive into Chinese New Year festivities? Start slow and take your family out for some dim sum or traditional Chinese food but be sure to crack open some fortune cookies.