Chinese New Year events are being held across London to celebrate the Year of the Horse, from the yearly parade in Chinatown to Lunar New Year markets. Read on to find out about all the Chinese New Year events in London!
Chinese New Year in Chinatown
The main event of the Chinese New Year in London, which organisers describe as ‘the largest Chinese New Year celebration outside China’. On Sunday, February 22nd London Chinatown will host its annual Chinese New Year celebrations. Organised by the London Chinatown Chinese Association,and supported by the Mayor of London, the Greater London Authority and the City of Westminster.
Celebrations will take place across Chinatown and Trafalgar Square. It begins with a parade from Trafalgar Square to Chinatown (10:00–12:00), followed by the Opening Ceremony on the main stage (12:30), followed by dragon and lion dances (13:00), then variety shows (13:30) and ending with a spectacular finale and light show (17:30–18:00). Full details can be found in our article here.
Camden Chinese New Year Festival
There will be an all-day festival at Camden Market to celebrate the Chinese New Year on Saturday, 21st January.
Camden Market will become a cultural hub, with live music, dance, Kung Fu, Beijing Opera, and family-friendly workshops. Also expect global food stalls, artistic installations, and traditional decor complete this spectacular celebration of Chinese culture.
Find out more here: https://camdenmarket.com/events/chinese-new-year-2026
Greenwich Peninsula Celebrations
Greenwich Peninsula will also host a vibrant Chinese New Year celebration. Expect live performances, workshops, DJs and flavours from across East and Southeast Asia, plus a special Henan heritage exhibition at Firepit Art Gallery & Studio.
There will be traditional Dragon and Lion Dance performances, DJ sets, and a ‘Splendour of Hunan’ exhibition at the Firepit Art Gallery & Studio. For those looking to get hands-on, there are a series of workshops and activities, including mahjong, woodblock printing, calligraphy, paper cutting, and Chinese knot-braiding.
Find out more here: https://www.greenwichpeninsula.co.uk/whats-on/lunar-new-year
National Maritime Museum Lunar New Year
The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich is welcoming in the Lunar New Year with a day of celebration, performances and activities on Saturday, 21st February.
There will be a series of Lion Dances, creative workshops and special talks.
Find out more here: https://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/national-maritime-museum/lunar-new-year#highlights
New Tide Lunar New Year Dinner
Jasmin Yang-Spooner, a Director at New Tide, will host a fireside chat on building a career in media and newsletters, featuring: Lin Taylor, Staff Correspondent and Editor at Thomson Reuters Foundation, Georgina Quach, Journalist at Financial Times, Yaling Jiang, founder of consumer newsletter Following the Yuan and research and strategy consultancy ApertureChina. You’ll also have a chance to meet the New Tide board, learn about our plans for 2026, and connect with fellow media workers, friends and allies as we celebrate the new year.
The ticket price includes hot food platters at the restaurant hosting the event.
Find out more here: https://luma.com/f5949hqa
London Lunar New Year Fair 2026
On the 7th and 8th of February Urban Garden Fair are hosting what they describe as ‘London’s largest Lunar New Year fair’. There will be over 100 stalls with an East Asian theme. Enjoy a vibrant, family-friendly festival filled with delicious food, handcrafted goods, cultural activities, and live performances.
The event will be hosted at Woolwich Works.
Find out more here: https://www.woolwich.works/events/lunar-new-year-fair
Lunar New Year ESEA Community Centre Fundraiser
The Year of the Horse fundraiser is a day festival and market filled with food from ESEA chefs, arts, crafts, workshops and games like Pitch Pot, Bean Sorting Challenges and Ring Tossing. Money raised will go to supporting the ESEA Community Centre. They are a charity dedicated to supporting the ESEA community local to Hackney, by providing a physical space that serves as a local hub for support with essential services and access to social, wellbeing and community activities.
The fundraiser will take place on Saturday, 7th of February running from 11:30 – 5:30. It will be followed by an evening special edition of Four Winds Mahjong Club. Full details can be found in our article here.
Find out more here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DUAxGb5DDok/?hl=en&img_index=1
Goldsmiths Confucius Institute 2026 Chinese New Year Gala
Goldsmiths Confucius Institute will be hosting its own Chinese New Year Gala on February 26th.
They have a carefully curated programme of events including workshops, performances, activities, and of course, food.
Find out more here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/goldsmiths-confucius-institute-2026-chinese-new-year-gala-tickets-1980391579525
Old Spitalfields Market Chinese New Year
Old Spitalfields Market is celebrating the Year of the Horse on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd of February with a Lion Dance performance, free workshops, and a pop up Asian makers market.
On Saturday there is an all day pop up market, Lion Dance performance, and a free calligraphy workshop. While on Sunday the pop up market continues and there is a paper lantern making workshop.
Find out more here: https://oldspitalfieldsmarket.com/events/lunar-new-year-celebrtion
London Museum Docklands Lunar New Year Festival
Head to Limehouse, the home of London’s original Chinatown, to celebrate the Lunar New Year at the London Museum Docklands.
They will host a family-friendly weekend of festivities on the 21st and 22nd February. Highlights include lion dances, a silent disco, ribbon dance workshops, a chillout games space and hands-on crafts.
Find out more here: https://www.londonmuseum.org.uk/whats-on/lunar-new-year/
Lunar New Year at the Museum of the Home
The fascinating Museum of the Home by Hoxton station will be hosting their own Lunar New Year celebration for the family on Tuesday, 17th February 2026. There will be various activities and play opportunities for children.
It’s important to note this event is for the Vietnamese Lunar New Year celebration, Tết Nguyên Đán, while it falls on the same day and has similarities to Chinese New Year, it is a different celebration.
Find out more here: https://museumofthehome.org.uk/whats-on/lunar-new-year-family-day-2026/
Chinese New Year Concerts
Multiple concerts are being held through February to mark Chinese New Year, giving Londoners a chance to listen to traditional Chinese music.
The Royal College of Music will be hosting a cross-cultural music event bringing together performers from China and the UK on February 2nd. The Royal Academy of Music will also be hosting a New Years concert with a series of Guzheng performances on February 8th.
Meanwhile, UK Chinese Theatre Arts will be hosting a Chinese opera performance on February 12th. There will also be a lunchtime concert to mark the Chinese New Year on February 19th featuring guzheng and piano duets.
Find Activities at Your Local Library
Libraries across London will be hosting special events for family friendly Chinese New Year fun.
On the 17th February there will be children’s lantern making workshops at Lea Bridge Library, Wood Street Library, North Chingford Library, and many more. On Sunday 22 February 2026, The Mothers’ Bridge of Love (MBL) will host the MBL Lunar New Year Family Cultural Day at Charing Cross Library in London. There will be Lion Dances, workshops, authors present to sign books, and an opportunity to see the ongoing Chinese ethnic minority children’s costume exhibition.
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