San Diego is residence to a number of important Lunar New Year occasions value attending for many who wish to rejoice the Year of the Rabbit.
Lunar New Year (or Chinese New Year if you’re of Chinese heritage) is a vacation acknowledged in China, Vietnam, Korea, Mongolia, Singapore, and Tibet and by many emigrants from everywhere in the world from these Southeast Asian nations.
The date is predicated on the lunisolar calendar, which this yr is January 22, 2023, and people born on this zodiac yr are mentioned to be calm, affluent, and agile.
The vacation is extremely vital in our residence as my daughter is proud to have been born in Hong Kong in the course of the Year of the Golden Pig. It is by far a very powerful celebration there, lasting 15 days, although usually solely three of these days are public holidays. During that point, the entire household usually gathers collectively to rejoice the lunar new yr with occasions like conventional performances and different enjoyable actions.
Without additional ado, here’s a record of Lunar New Year San Diego occasions — prepare to find enjoyable actions you received’t wish to miss
Lunar New Year Charity Gala at Jasmine Seafood
The San Diego United Lions Club’s Lunar New Year Charity Gala is an annual occasion that many in San Diego sit up for. Proceeds assist the San Diego United Lions Club charitable initiatives worldwide.
- Sunday, February 5, 2023
- Happy Hour: 5 p.m.-6 p.m. and Dinner Gala: 6 p.m.-8 p.m.
- Buy Tickets: $65 or $600 (Table of 10)
The standard dim sum restaurant additionally normally hosts lion dances all through the month, that are enjoyable for households. We deliver lai see (conventional purple envelopes with greenback payments inside) for good luck and to assist the scholar lion troupe and their group.
Annual San Diego Chinese New Year Food and Cultural Fair
The annual San Diego Chinese New Year Fair hosted by the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association spans two days. It’s held on Third Avenue and J Street in downtown San Diego’s outdated Chinatown.
Attendees store handicrafts, eat tons of conventional meals and revel in reside leisure starting from acrobats to conventional Chinese music performances. You’ll even be handled to a lantern parade and youngsters’s crafts.
- Saturday, February 4, and Sunday, February 5
- 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday
- Free to enter
Annual San Diego Tet Festival
This annual Tet pageant hosts a number of competitions, together with a Miss Vietnam of San Diego pageant, a pho consuming contest, a Golden Voice competitors, and youngsters’ alternative to share their data about Vietnamese tradition.
Guests also can sit up for Vietnamese meals, carnival rides and video games, firecrackers, a youngsters’ artwork contest, Taiko drum performances, and lion dances. The location is Mira Mesa Community Park.
- January 27-29, 2023
- 5-10 p.m. (Friday), 11 a.m.–10 p.m. (Saturday) and 11 a.m.–6 or 9 p.m. (Sunday)
- sdtet.com
- Free to look at
House of China’s Chinese New Year Fair
Join House of China, a part of the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages in Balboa Park, for a Chinese New Year celebration full with dancing lions, Chinese performances, Chinese meals, crafts, calligraphy, and extra.
San Diego Lunar New Year Festival
Where else in San Diego in January can you discover dragons, lion dances, firecrackers, reside music and performances, arts and crafts, and extra?
At the San Diego Lunar New Year pageant, after all. This free and family-friendly occasion is again this yr, and they’re prepared to usher in the lunar new yr with type.
- January 20-22, 2023
- 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. on Friday, January twentieth; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. on Saturday, January twenty first; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. on Sunday, January 22
Lunar New Year on the San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Zoo welcomes the entire household to rejoice the nice fortune of the brand new lunar yr on the zoo. Take on crafts, have interaction wildlife care specialists, take pleasure in Flavors of Asia, or take a behind-the-scenes tour to find out about iconic species just like the snow leopard and different unbelievable wildlife.
A go to to the San Diego zoo can also be an funding in future generations. Your go to helps groundbreaking conservation efforts for endangered wildlife worldwide, comparable to orangutan households, and combats unlawful trafficking of orchids and different endangered wildlife.
I’ve tons of recommendation on shopping for low cost San Diego Zoo tickets, however the quickest means is to make use of my promo code.
ACCESS MY EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNTS
Check for unpublished deeper financial savings on tickets via my partnership with aRes Travel, a certified San Diego Zoo ticket vendor.
*By texting the phrase SDZOO to 1-833-490-0799 you comply with obtain automated promotional messages with tips on how to safe my deeper ticket low cost and this settlement isn’t a situation of any buy. Msg and information charges might apply. 2 msg/mo. Reply STOP to cancel. Read my full privateness coverage.
Lunar New Year Celebration on the Bill & Marcia Collins Community Room
Enjoy a presentation by the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum adopted by a craft after. Recommended for ages 5-11.
- January 19: 4 p.m.-5:30 p.m.
Lunar New Year at Village Faire
Ring within the new yr at Village Faire in Carlsbad with Chinese picket flute music to rejoice the lunar calendar yr of the Rabbit.
- January 22: 12:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
Library Lunar New Year Celebrations
Many native libraries have their very own lunar celebrations, together with:
- Balboa Library: Held at Olive Grove park, all ages are welcome to witness the magnificent lion dance. January 21 from 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
- Serra Mesa-Kearny Mesa Library: Check out the gravity-defying stunts of the GDPT Chanh Kien group as they carry out the lion dance. January 21, 12 p.m.-12:30 p.m.
- College Rolando department library: Mixing crafts with tradition, the library will use a craft to make connections with the lunar new yr. Registration really helpful. January 28, 1 p.m.-2:30 p.m.
- Powell Library: The whole household can be part of within the celebration with crafts, balloon animals, and lion dancers. January 28, 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Be certain to test your native library for occasions as properly.
New Restaurants to Celebrate the Lunar New Year
Why not take pleasure in a scrumptious Asian meal in celebration of the Lunar New Year? Here are just a few new San Diego eating places open simply in time for the brand new yr.
- Haidilao San Diego: Head to Haidilao, a well-known Chinese sizzling pot restaurant from Sichuan province. During our most up-to-date go to, performers (like conventional face altering) have been handing out lai see to visitors.
- QiWest Noodles: Quick service and informal is the secret at this standard Chinese chain from L.A. Noodles are sometimes eaten to rejoice the brand new yr and to symbolize lengthy and uninterrupted prosperity and life. With classics like hen chow mein, beef noodle soup and chilly noodles with cucumbers, your meal will deliver success for the remainder of the yr.
- White Rice Bodega: This Filipino rice-bowl chain has made a splash on the San Diego foodie scene not just for its crispy pork stomach, tofu sisig and ube milk tea, however the truth that each meal bought means one donated to San Diegens dealing with starvation. Mixing scrumptious meals with a unbelievable trigger is the definition of successful in our e-book.
- Market on eighth: This meals corridor hosts a wide range of meals genres, together with a Filipino kitchen, Thai road meals, ramen, and poke. No matter what you select, there’s something right here for everybody.
Celebrate Chinese New Year on Your Own at Home
Chinese New Year is a crucial vacation in our home. In reality, I’m headed to 99 Ranch for our normal stash of sweet and dried fruit, a part of a conventional eight-part Tray of Togetherness to snack from all through the season (I’ll share particulars for what to incorporate shortly).
You also can rejoice at residence with crafts. In addition to the sources offered within the hyperlink to the Japanese Friendship Garden above, I’ve simple directions for tips on how to make a paper lantern and a listing of free Chinese New Year printables.
You also can use the chance to depart bowls of citrus on the desk for the household to eat and even put Chinese New Year citrus bushes on both sides of your step.
It’s additionally enjoyable to place collectively Chinese New Year purple envelopes for the youngsters in your life. You can order purple envelopes on Amazon or discover them at markets like 99 Ranch.
Kung Hei Fat Choy!
How do you rejoice Lunar New Year in San Diego? If there are actions that I’ve missed, please go away them within the feedback.