Lunar New Year (The Year of the Horse) takes place on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 here in the United States. In Asian countries, Lunar New Year typically lasts for 15 days and is celebrated with a variety of traditions and events that include lots of delicious foods. It is believed that dumplings symbolize luck and are eaten on Chinese Lunar New Year, while banh chung (square sticky rice cakes) are eaten on Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) and tteokguk (sticky rice cake soup) and mandu (dumplings) are eaten in Korea. If you’re looking to purchase ingredients at an authentic Asian market to cook at home, there’s lots of great ones in the area, including Asian Market, Anh Dao Sakura Vietnamese Market, or Super G Market.
Charlotte will celebrate Lunar New Year with several events, and there’s so many great Asian restaurants in the area to support and enjoy. Are we missing an event or a favorite restaurant on the list below? Let us know and we’ll add it in!
Events:
- Chinese Lunar New Year Cultural Fair: On Saturday, January 31st from 1:00pm-5:00pm, celebrate Lunar New Year with crafts, activities such as lantern making and printmaking, and lots of fun for all ages. Free! (Mecklenberg Hall, 8601 Bryant Farms Rd, Charlotte, NC 28277)
- Tet Vietnamese Lunar New Year: The Vietnamese Association of Charlotte is hosting a Lunar New Year event at the Park Expo on Sunday, February 15th from 11:00am-6:00pm. Pageants, food, and fun activities await! (Liberty Hall at Park Expo Conference Center, 800 Briar Creek Road, Charlotte, NC 28205)
- 2026 Children’s Lunar New Year Showcase: Free and family-friendly (though RSVP is required on the website), enjoy performances honoring the Year of the Horse on Saturday, February 21st at 2:00pm (Fullwood Theater, 100 East McDowell Street, Matthews, NC 28105).
Food:
- Dumplings: The Dumpling Lady (locations in South End, Optimist Hall, and Uptown); Imperial Treasure (Ballantyne); Mama Wok (Charlotte – all vegan!); YaMe Asian Noodles (Charlotte)
- Korean: Bibim (Charlotte); Seoul Food (Charlotte); Anju (Charlotte)
- Vietnamese: Be’s Noodles and Banh Mi (Charlotte); Pho Ngon (Charlotte)
- Asian (multi-cuisine): Hawkers Asian Street Food (Charlotte); Open Rice (Midtown Charlotte/Ballantyne)
Happy Lunar New Year to all who celebrate!
