Chinese New Year 2027: Saturday 6 February

Why the date changes every year

Chinese New Year follows the Chinese lunisolar calendar. It starts on the second new moon after the winter solstice, which always lands between 21 January and 20 February in the Western calendar. The Hong Kong Observatory publishes the official conversion tables between the two calendars, which is where the dates above come from.

Each year is linked to one of twelve animals in a fixed cycle. 2027 is the Year of the Goat (also translated as Sheep or Ram), followed by the Monkey in 2028 and the Rooster in 2029.

Where to see big celebrations

• Hong Kong: a night parade and, traditionally, fireworks over Victoria Harbour during the first days of the new year. Check the Hong Kong Tourism Board for the 2027 programme.
• Singapore: Chinatown is lit up for weeks beforehand, with street markets; River Hongbao, a festival by the Marina Bay waterfront, is a long-running highlight.
• Mainland China: temple fairs in Beijing and lantern displays across the country, peaking on the Lantern Festival.
• London, San Francisco and Sydney: large public celebrations are usually held on a weekend near or after the date; San Francisco's parade is traditionally a few weeks later.

Programmes are set by each organiser every year. We add confirmed 2027 dates, with their source, as they are announced.

Planning a trip

The weeks around Chinese New Year are the world's biggest annual travel rush, as hundreds of millions of people go home for the holiday. Trains and flights within China and to Chinese-speaking cities sell out early and prices rise, so book as early as you can. Many shops and restaurants close for the first days of the new year, especially in mainland China, while shopping districts and hotels in tourist hubs stay open.

If you want the atmosphere without the crowds, arrive a few days before New Year's Eve to see the markets and decorations, or plan around the Lantern Festival two weeks later.

Traditions in brief

Families gather for a reunion dinner on New Year's Eve. Red decorations and red envelopes of money (hongbao or lai see) are given for luck, homes are cleaned before the new year to sweep out bad luck, and firecrackers and lion dances drive away evil spirits. The festival closes with lanterns and sweet rice balls (tangyuan) on the fifteenth day.

Questions