Boston has the third largest Chinese community in the U.S., and the Chinese Near Year celebration here is one of the biggest in the Northeast. Thousands of visitors flock to Boston's Chinatown and Theater District to view lion dancers, accompanied by drums, cymbals, and firecrackers. It's also a chance to try other great food besides Chinese food.
Chinese New Year Parade (February 18, 2024)
The major highlight of the celebration is Boston's annual Chinese New Year Parade, which takes place in Chinatown. It usually happens on the second Sunday after the beginning of the Chinese New Year. The parade runs from 10 am to 3 pm, starting at Phillips Square (corner of Harrison Ave and Beach Street). Usually, the parade includes a dragon dance, and there are also a couple of "lions," a Buddha, and music bands with gongs and drums to set the rhythm. Smaller Lion dances occur during and after the parade in multiple locations. Performers go through local businesses in Chinatown collecting red envelopes with cash. Restaurant owners also place offerings—cabbages and oranges—in front of the door for the dancers.
Chinese New Year Cultural Village
Another highlight of the celebration is the Chinese New Year Cultural Village, located in the China Trade Center, on the corner of Boylston and Washington Streets. After the parade, attendees can enjoy additional entertainment there, such as cultural performances, traditional crafts, festive lanterns, balloons, and plenty of activities for children.
Cantonese people were among the first Asian settlers of Boston in the 1870s. Therefore the celebration and costumes at the Boston parade mainly reflect Cantonese traditions. During the Lunar New Year Celebrations, restaurants offer special meals with dishes that are supposed to bring good luck in the New Year.
