San Diego Lunar New Year Festival 2027

For one weekend, the Spanish Colonial arches of Balboa Park's central plaza fill with red lanterns and the sound of lion-dance drums, and San Diego's Chinese American, Vietnamese American, Korean American, and broader Asian Pacific communities gather to bring in the new lunar year - one of the largest such celebrations in Southern California outside the LA basin. The two-day event puts multiple lion and dragon dance troupes through the grounds, alongside traditional martial arts demonstrations, calligraphy and craft activities, and cultural performances that range from classical Chinese music to Korean drumming to Vietnamese ao dai fashion showcases. A food marketplace covers the full range of East and Southeast Asian culinary traditions. The park's museums and cultural institutions open their doors with their own Lunar New Year programming during the festival, and the plaza's architecture makes a dramatic backdrop for the whole thing. Balboa Park is in central San Diego, accessible from the I-163 (Park Blvd exit), with parking throughout the park - the Zoo's north parking structure is typically accessible during festival events. Admission to the park and festival grounds is free; individual vendor and activity purchases apply. Lunar New Year 2027 falls in late January, with specific dates confirmed through the San Diego Lunar New Year website.