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Posted by Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism

The Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT) is celebrating the Year of the Rabbit during the 2023 Lunar New Year, as a way of highlighting the rich cultural traditions of Asian-American communities in the Bay State.

“Massachusetts’ vibrant Asian-American community is delighted to share its cultural traditions with all residents and visitors during Lunar New Year,” said Mass Office of Travel & Tourism Executive Director Keiko Matsudo Orrall.  “This year’s celebration reaffirms the vibrant cultural and community traditions that make Massachusetts such a wonderful place to live and to visit.”

In Asian culture, the rabbit symbolizes longevity, peace and prosperity.  Read more about the Year of the Rabbit.

In Asian culture, the rabbit symbolizes longevity, peace and prosperity.  Read more about the Year of the Rabbit. In Vietnamese tradition, 2023 is the Year of the Cat. Sampan, New England’s bilingual Chinese-English Newspaper, notes that Massachusetts held its first Chinese New Year celebration 150 years ago in North Adams in western Massachusetts.

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.  Lunar New Year marks the transition from one zodiac sign to the next.

From children’s activities and art exhibits, to culinary offerings and social gatherings, check out one of these activities below.

Locals celebrate the Lunar New Year in Boston's Chinatown with a parade.

January 28
PEM’s Lunar New Year Celebration
Peabody Essex Museum, Salem
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
PEM celebrates the Year of the Rabbit with performances, storytelling and art. Take a tour through Yin Yu Tang, PEM’s 200-year old Chinese home, and check out programs with our featured collaborators Gund Kwok and Limin Mo.

 

January 28
Lunar New Year Celebration
Franklin Public Library, Franklin
10:30 a.m.
The library is offering crafts snacks, games and children’s books that celebrate Lunar New Year.

Spectators watch as artists dance around a dragon as part of a Lunar New Year celebration.

January 29
Lunar New Year Parade + Cultural Village
China Trade Center, Boston
11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Celebrate Lunar New Year with Boston Chinatown Main Street.  Activities for children includes calligraphy, origami, lantern crafting, and a special lion dance performance to open the new year!

 

January 29
Lunar New Year Celebration
Pao Arts Center, Boston
11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Experience interactive cultural activities for all ages, including Chinese red envelope folding, Korean calligraphy, Korean dasik cookie stamping on clay, and rabbit-related crafts.

 

February 1
Saehae bok mani badeuseyo!
Discovery Museum, Acton
Play traditional Korean games, make a Sam Taeguk inspired fan, and try on hanbok, traditional Korean clothes, as you learn how to bow and wish your elders a happy new year.

 

February 2
MFA’s Lunar New Year Celebration
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
5-10 p.m.
Celebrate the Lunar New Year at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston by exploring Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese art from the MFA collection—including works on view in the exhibition “Otherworldly Realms of Wu Junyong.”

 

February 4
GBCCA Annual Celebration
West Newton
6-10 p.m.
The Greater Boston Chinese Cultural Association annual celebration includes dining, live performances, traditional games such as Mahjong and other festivities.

 

February 5
Quincy Lunar New Year Festival
North Quincy High School
11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Quincy Asian Resources, Inc (QARI) holds its 35th Annual  Lunar New Year Festival, celebrating the
Year of the Rabbit, symbolizing hope, prosperity, longevity, and peace.

 

February 13
Lantern Festival and Chinese New Year Fair
Chinese Association of Western Massachusetts
7 p.m.
Enjoy a night of modern and traditional Chinese performances by talented individuals in the western Mass Chinese American community.  CAWM promotes the appreciation of Chinese culture, heritages and by enhancing cross-cultural understanding through educational programs in western Massachusetts.

 

February 20
Tet in Boston 2023
IBEW Hall,  Dorchester
6:30 – 11:30 p.m. /
Tết in Boston celebrates the Vietnamese Lunar New Year with live performances by talented artists.

Ongoing through March 5, 2023
Worcester Art Museum
To celebrate Lunar New Year, the Worcester Art Museum has on display The Floating World: Japanese Prints through March 5.  These rare prints from the museum’s Bancroft Collection illustrate the beauty of everyday life through 50 Japanese woodblock prints, 48 of which are displayed for the first time.

For information about visiting Massachusetts, go to VisitMA.com.