The Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT) has compiled a schedule of Lunar New Year activities in February to highlight the cultural traditions of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and other Asian-American ethnic communities in the Bay State. Events range from music concerts and art exhibits to culinary events and community parades.
Lunar New Year is known by many names: the Vietnamese call their celebration Tết, while South Koreans call theirs Wondan and in China it is simply called Chinese New Year.
“Asian-Americans are part of the rich mosaic of races, nationalities and ethnic groups in Massachusetts,” said Assistant Secretary of Business Development & International Trade Nam Pham. “We invite all residents and visitors to participate in these celebrations and learn about the state’s vibrant Asian-American community.”
2019 is designated as the Year of the Pig, the twelfth Chinese zodiac sign.
“Historically, the Chinese calendar was based upon the lunar cycle, and Lunar New Year signified the beginning of the new planting cycle for agriculture,” said Susan Cho of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association of New England (CCBA).
The 426,225 Asian-American residents in the Bay State represent 7% of the population, according to the US Census Bureau. There are 33,875+ Asian-American small business in Massachusetts, and 20,000+ students from Asia attending colleges and universities here. Massachusetts has strong connections with Asia in trade and commerce. In 2017, Massachusetts exceeded $18 billion in trade with Asian nations.
According to MOTT, 546,500 travelers from Asian countries visited the Bay State in 2017, spending $1.65 billion and generating $105 million in state and local taxes. Boston Logan International Airport has direct flights between Boston and Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo, with nonstop flights to Seoul scheduled in 2019.
For information on visiting Massachusetts, go to massvacation.com.
2019 Lunar New Year Events in Massachusetts
Through February 18
Reunion Dinners for Chinese New Year
Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Boston
February 2
2019 Chinese New Year Celebration
Potter’s House Church, Malden
6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
February 2
Boston NKAA Chinese New Year Party
Alister by Mill Creek, Quincy
6 – 9 p.m.
February 2
Newton Cantonese School Chinese New Year Celebration
Bigelow Middle School, Newton
9 a.m. –Noon
February 2
2019 Chinese New Year Celebration Gala
Greater Lawrence Technical School, Andover
3 – 8 p.m.
February 2
Celebrate Lunar New Year at Franklin Park Zoo
Franklin Park
Dorchester, Boston
10:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
February 2-3
Celebrate the Year of the Pig
Boston Children’s Museum
Boston
February 2-3
Year of the Pig Painting
Artbeat Creativity Store and Studio, Arlington
10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
February 3
Vietnamese Tet Celebration of Lunar New Year
Grand Ballroom, UMass, Lowell
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
February 4
2019 Chinese New Year Celebration
Fo Guang Buddhist Temple, Cambridge
10 a.m. – Noon
February 7
Berklee College of Music Presents
Chinese New Year Concert
Berklee Performance Center, Back Bay, Boston
8 – 10 p.m.
February 8
Asian Cultural Society Lunar New Year
Tilton Hall, Clark University, Worcester
6 – 9 p.m.
February 9
VietAid Tet 2019
Vietnamese American Initiative for Development
Dorchester
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
February 9
Chinese New Year Gala + Dinner
Boston Marriott Hotel, Burlington
6 – 9 p.m.
February 9
Tanglewood Marionettes Present The Dragon King
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library
Dorchester, Boston
10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
February 9
MFA’s Lunar New Year Celebration
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
February 9
Family Day! Celebrating Chinese New Year
Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge
1 – 4 p.m.
February 10
Chinese Dulcimer Guzheng Youth Band
Newton Free Library, Newton
2 – 3 p.m.
February 10
31st Annual Lunar New Year Festival
North Quincy High School, Quincy
Noon – 5 p.m.
February 10
2019 Chinese New Year Celebration
Fo Guang Buddhist Temple, Cambridge
5 -7 p.m.
February 16
Lunar New Year Celebration
Peabody Essex Museum, Salem
10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
February 16
SAPA-NE Chinese New Year Celebration 2019
Trinitarian Congregational Church, Wayland
4:30 – 9:00 p.m.
February 17
Boston’s Chinese New Year Festival
Chinatown, Boston
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
February 25
HMS-CSSA 2019 Chinese New Year Gala
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Yawkey Building, Boston
6 p.m. – 9 p.m.