Lunar New Year 2025, 2026 and 2027
Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, is a major celebration in many parts of Asia. But its celebration is also spreading in the UK, where a sizable Chinese and Asian population now exists. The date of Lunar New Year is generally in late January or early February.
| Year | Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 29 Jan | Wed | Lunar New Year |
| 2026 | 17 Feb | Tue | Lunar New Year |
| 2027 | 6 Feb | Sat | Lunar New Year |
| Please scroll down to end of page for previous years' dates. | |||
Lunar New Year is not a public holiday in the UK, but more and more people are taking part in annual Lunar New Year events that focus on Chinese food, decorations and parades.
Although the UK as a whole doesn’t have a particularly high Chinese population, major centres such as London, Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester have a concentration of Chinese people. London’s Chinatown is especially large, old, and famous for its colourful celebrations of Lunar New Year.
Lunar New Year is based on the Chinese lunar calendar and lasts for 15 days in China and other Asian countries. On the eve of the new year, families reunite for a traditional dinner. On day fifteen, an amazing Lantern Festival takes place that fills the sky with colourful, paper lanterns that are lit.
UK Chinatown events generally extend for a period of days or weeks to give more people an opportunity to participate.
Previous Years
| Year | Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 10 Feb | Sat | Lunar New Year |
| 2023 | 22 Jan | Sun | Lunar New Year |