Lunar New Year (also called Spring Festival) is one of the most widely celebrated holidays on the planet. It’s observed across many cultures including Chinese, Vietnamese (Tết), Korean (Seollal), and more, each with its own traditions, foods, and celebrations.
Lunar New Year begins (with the second new moon after the Winter Solstice), which this year is February 17, launching the Year of the Fire (or Red) Horse.
What Is the Lunar New Year?
Lunar New Year is about renewal. Cleaning house (literally and figuratively), gathering with family and friends, honoring elders, and stepping into the new year with intention are the most common ways to celebrate. You’ll also see an abundance of red because it’s associated with good fortune and joy.
Celebrations run for about 15 days, and include family traditions, public festivals, and community events. One of the most well-known components of the new year celebration is the lion and dragon dances, which are high-energy, community-centered traditions that bring people together. And yes, food is a central component of many of these celebrations.
If you’ve never been to a Lunar New Year celebration, and want to participate:
- Show up with interest. Ask, listen, learn.
- Support local. Buy from celebrating businesses and restaurants.
- Keep it respectful. Enjoy the symbols and culture.
The Year of the Fire Horse
The Chinese zodiac runs on a 12-year animal cycle, plus a five-element cycle, creating a 60-year rhythm. Fire Horse years are rare. The Horse is associated with movement, independence, and forward momentum, while the Fire element adds intensity and visibility.
This celebration is especially rare as it is bookended by a solar eclipse or “ring of fire,” (visible primarily from Antarctica on February 17, 2026) and another solar eclipse on February 6, 2027, (visible over parts of South America and Africa).
What Might Fire Horse Energy Mean for Alameda?
The year’s theme is motion and momentum, and Alameda has plenty of real-world examples.
1) Momentum and Big Moves
A Horse year is often framed as a time to act. That’s a useful mindset for a city and island community already facing major change. On Bay Farm Island, for example, residents are talking about the possibility of Harbor Bay Landing Shopping Center shifting toward a mixed-use future.
Using a Fire Horse lens, we might acknowledge change as a positive when we’re informed, organized, and engaged early.
2) Mobility, Access, and “How We Move” Matters
On Bay Farm Island, the Harbor Bay Ferry Terminal is already operating with dedicated security and paid parking, and that kind of change isn’t just administrative. It reshapes the rhythm of weekday life. Seaplane Lagoon is next in line for similar improvements, signaling a citywide push to make ferry access safer, smoother, and more consistent across terminals.
A Horse year lens says it’s a season to be attuned to movement, access, and how community infrastructure supports the people who rely on it.
3) Community Spirit, Turned Outward
Horse years are often framed as social and action oriented. That can look like more neighbor-to-neighbor connection, more volunteerism, and more events that feel welcoming across cultures and generations. If you’ve ever wished for the kind of community where people actually know each other, this is your moment.
Alameda-area Lunar New Year Events
Here are a few celebrations in Alameda and the area for the Lunar New Year:
Lunar New Year: Petit Picassos Art Camp
Saturday, February 7, 2026 | 12:00–2:00 PM
Bay Farm Island Library, Alameda
A family-friendly celebration featuring stories, a Year of the Horse art project, and a wishing wall for hopes and dreams. Registration is required. Call (510) 747-7787.
Nearby
Since many people in Asia travel to festivities, it seems fitting to enjoy celebrations in other towns as well.
Oakland Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade
Saturday, February 28, 2026 | 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
A large, high-energy celebration close to home, great for families and anyone who wants a parade and vibrant performances.
Children’s Fairyland Lunar New Year (Oakland)
Sunday, February 8, 2026 | 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
A kid-friendly way to celebrate with performances and activities.
Keep the fun going by attending the San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade, on Saturday, March 7, at 5:15 PM, starting at Second and Market Streets. It’s free to attend but you’ll need tickets for the bleacher sections.
Easy Ways to Celebrate
If you’re new to Lunar New Year celebrations, here are a few personal ways to enjoy it:
- Dine. Choose a local restaurant that’s celebrating and make it a “support + savor” night.
- Offer a simple greeting. “Happy Lunar New Year” is always safe. If you know the right greeting for the person you’re speaking with, even better.
- Do the renewal ritual. Tidy a drawer. Clear a counter. Donate clothes. Lunar New Year energy loves a fresh start.
- Make it community-centered. Invite someone to an event with you. The holiday is about togetherness.
The Fire Horse is often described as spirited, courageous, and impossible to ignore. For Alameda, that’s not just symbolism. It’s a reminder that thriving communities don’t happen by accident. They’re built by people who show up and work toward building a better future for all.
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