The Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, is a traditional Asian celebration that has been observed in for thousands of years. Every winter, Asian communities around the world ring in the Lunar New Year with carnivals, food, family gatherings, parades and more.

Lunar New Year celebrations begin Wednesday. Here's everything to know about the 2025 Lunar New Year, the Year of the Snake.

One well-known ancient legend speaks of Nian, a hideous monster that feasted on human flesh on New Year’s Day. Because the beast feared the color red, loud noises and fire, people put up red paper dragons on their doors, burned red lanterns all night and set off firecrackers to frighten and chase away the monster.

Lunar New Year ushers in the Year of the Snake on Wednesday, with events and feasts happening around D.C. over the next two-plus weeks. Pro tip: Many events are free, especially around the Smithsonian,

The end of January marks the start of the Lunar New Year in 2025, a Chinese holiday that’s widely celebrated in various Asian cultures that honors the dawn of spring and the first new moon of the lunar calendar.