Here are some ways to celebrate the Lunar New Year in and around the neighborhood! It’s the year of the dragon!
Chinese New Year Parade
Immerse yourself in the festivities and ring in the year of the dragon by watching Boston’s Annual Chinese New Year Parade on Sunday, February 18th, in Chinatown. This event includes street food, firecrackers, and more!
Chinatown Main Street Flower Market
The Chinatown Main Street Flower Market is back again this year! Come visit the pop-up store from February 2nd till the 9th, 2024. There will be flowers, decorations, and more in celebration of the New Year! The pop-up store is located directly inside the China Trade Center, across the street from the Chinatown Orange Line MBTA stop and CVS!
Tết Celebrations
On Saturday, January 27th, from 12-2 pm, Boston Little Saigon and the Fields Corner Branch Library are coming together for their Tết Celebration filled with arts & crafts, delicious food, and more! There is no need to register; just show up and enjoy! The event takes place at the library.
More Boston Little Saigon Tết Celebrations
Flynn Cruiseport in the Seaport will host the 35th Annual Tết in Boston festival on Sunday, February 4th from 10:30-5 pm! Dive right in and educate yourself on Vietnamese and Vietnamese-American culture through a day of live music, exhilarating performances, yummy food, 80+ vendors, and tons of family-friendly activities. And guess what? Tickets are only $3 if you grab them in advance!
Gund Kwok Lion Dance
Fields Corner/Little Saigon will also be hosting Gund Kwok Lion Dance Performance on Saturday, March 2nd at 12 pm. They are the first Asian Women’s Lion & Dragon Dance Troupe in the United States. What better way to celebrate both Lunar New Year and Women’s History Month?
Here are more celebrations happening around Boston!
New Year’s Dishes
Once you’ve soaked up all the excitement, explore these spots for lucky New Year’s dishes!
Start your New Year’s food crawl by indulging in a fan favorite: dumplings! These little pockets of deliciousness not only satisfy your tastebuds but also symbolize ancient Chinese money and are thought to bring fortune in the New Year. Stop by our neighborhood hot spots, Mei Mei Dumpling and Dumpling Daughter, for their assortment of savory, delicately steamed or crispy pan-fried dumplings. Not to mention a second reason to celebrate: this New Year’s will mark Mei Mei’s first anniversary in Southie (woohoo)! Join them in celebrating this ‘double delight’ on Saturday, February 10th at their Iron Works factory! RSVP in advance to save your spot (it will definitely be worth it)! Get exclusive access to travel through their factory and try your hand at noodle pulling, dumpling making, congee-bowl building, and lantern crafting. But that’s not all! The event will also feature a lion dance at 4 pm, dumpling-themed raffles and prizes, and even Lunar New Year cocktails!
Boston Little Saigon/Fields Corner has so many great Vietnamese restaurants to try, including Pho Hoa, which Boston Magazine named this wildly popular Vietnamese spot the Best of Boston for Best Neighborhood Restaurant in Dorchester!
Here are some more restaurants to try in Chinatown:
- Taiwan Cafe – 34 Oxford St, Chinatown
- Hei La Moon – 83 Essex St, Chinatown
- Nam Xiang – 52 Beach St, Chinatown
- Mei Sum Bakery – 26 Beach St, Chinatown
A 25-year-old foodie living in Southie who enjoys consuming skinny spicy margaritas, working out, spending too much time in Trader Joes, and obsessing over any poodle-mix puppy.