15th Annual Lunarfest Celebrates the Year of the Horse

Contact:
lunarfest@yalechina.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2026 February 4

15th Annual Lunarfest Celebrates the Year of the Horse

New Haven, Conn. – The Yale-China Association, in partnership with the City of New Haven Department of Arts, Culture and Tourism, the New Haven Museum, the Yale Peabody Museum, and various community partners, is proud to present the 15th annual Lunarfest in New Haven, Connecticut, on Saturday, February 21, 2026. As the largest celebration of Lunar New Year in Connecticut, Lunarfest serves as a premiere cultural event, promoting cross-cultural understanding through vibrant community collaborations.

Lunarfest 2026 celebrates the Year of the Horse. The festivities begin at 10:00 AM with a parade led by the Wan Chi Ming Hung Gar Institute Lion Dance Team from New York City. The parade marches down Whitney Avenue (from Grove to Trumbull Street) and features performances by Yale Club Wushu and Yale Red Lantern. Following remarks from local community leaders, including Mayor Justin Elicker, the parade will culminate with a traditional lion dance in front of Hong Kong Market.

In the afternoon, the celebration continues with educational activities, workshops, and performances hosted at the following locations: the New Haven Museum, the New Haven Free Public Library Ives Branch, Neighborhood Music School, Creative Arts Workshop, the Yale Peabody Museum and Yale Office of International Students & Scholars.

Highlighted events for the Year of the Horse include:

  • Lunarfest Artist Market: Featuring local AAPI artists and makers co-sponsored by the Town Green District

  • World-Class Music: Performances by the New Haven Community Gamelan, Yale UNITY, and the New Haven Chinese Cultural Cooperative

  • Demonstrations and Workshops: Tai Chi with Tai Chi United, Chinese folk dancing with Yale Red Lantern, and Year of the Horse projects with the Eli Whitney Museum and Workshop apprentices

  • Family Fun: A Zodiac Scavenger Hunt with prizes co-sponsored by The Shops at Yale, a community Wishing Tree, and shadow puppetry by the OompaPossum Puppets

  • Interactive Traditions: Multicultural tea tastings, Chinese games, papercutting, fan painting, calligraphy, and Vietnamese screen printing

All programs are free and open to the public through the generous support of our venue partners, parade sponsors, and local businesses.

Bring your family, friends, and festive spirit! Join us in welcoming the Year of the Horse!

For a full schedule of events, please visit www.yalechina.org/lunarfest.

Yale-China Association (雅礼协会) bridges the United States and China through collaborative partnerships in education, healthcare, and the arts. For more information, visit www.yalechina.org.

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors and Funders

 
 
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