San Diego will host a three-day celebration of Asian culture with the San Diego Lunar New Year Festival, running from Feb. 13 to Feb. 15.
The free, family-friendly event will transform Officer Jeremy Henwood Memorial Park, at Fairmount Avenue and Wightman Street, into a lively gathering place filled with traditional performances, food, and art.
Celebrating the arrival of the Year of the Fire Horse in 2026 — a symbol of passion, courage, and renewal — the festival will feature traditional lion and dragon dances, cultural and artistic exhibitions, and a wide selection of authentic Asian cuisine.
Festivalgoers can also take part in interactive competitions, including Vietnam’s spiciest noodle soup challenge, a boba tea speed-drinking contest, and a dumpling-wrapping competition testing both speed and skill.
Large-scale art installations will add to the spectacle. Visitors will be greeted by twenty pink and red lotus flowers, each standing about 3 meters, or nearly 10 feet, tall, alongside a lantern wall spelling out “be kind.” The installation stretches roughly 18 meters, or 59 feet, long and rises about 3.6 meters, or nearly 12 feet, high, made up of nearly 800 individual lanterns.
Car enthusiasts can also check out a display of vintage vehicles that once traveled the streets of South Vietnam during the 1960s and 1970s.
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Festival hours:
- Friday, Feb. 13: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- Saturday, Feb. 14: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Sunday, Feb. 15: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
More information is available at sdlunarnewyearfestival.com.
Related: San Diego to Welcome Lunar New Year 2026 with 3-Day Festival
