Supported Events
Glou Glou – Lunar New Year Festival dish: Black peppered Reuben
Celebrate the Lunar New Year at Glou Glou with a limited-edition baked pastry, only available during New Year celebrations. Pastry lovers who pop in on Saturday 21 February at 12.30pm will treated to a lion dance performance bringing wishes of good health, happiness and luck for the year ahead.
WELCOMING IN THE NEW YEAR
Welcome in the Lunar New Year with dragon and lion dance performances at various locations throughout Wellington’s CBD and wider region.
Chinese New Year Gala
Celebrate Wellington’s diversity at the Multicultural Festival in celebration of the Chinese New Year Gala.
Lunar New Year banquet & blessings at Grand Century Chinese Restaurant
Celebrate Lunar New Year around the table at the Grand Century Chinese Restaurant. Enjoy a special new year banquet and blessings from a lion dance performance on 21 February and capture the moment with a photo with the God of Wealth.
HORSES, DRAGON AND TIGER: A TRILOGY OF DANCE FILMS
A celebration of the Lunar New Year at our place, Te Papa Tongarewa Free screenings of a trilogy of dance films by internationally acclaimed dancer, choreographer and filmmaker Daniel Belton. The trilogy includes a world premiere screening of Daniel’s new work, HORSES.
TIGER (Silver-Lotus), and DRAGON which will be screened alongside HORSES to complete the trilogy of films all created by Daniel and presented at past celebrations of the Lunar New Year in Wellington.
TEA CEREMONY DEMONSTRATION
Welcome the Lunar New Year with a joyful celebration! Members of the Wellington Xiamen Association will host a special tea ceremony demonstration, sharing the artistry, history, and cultural significance of tea from Xiamen.
Te Papa Late Night
Te Papa Tongarewa (not including Rongomaraeroa)
Free, with museum entry
Glou Glou - Lunar New Year Dumpling and Vino Night
Join Glou Glou for a hands-on Lunar New Year dumpling making workshop over a glass of wine or beer. Learn the art of dumpling folding and then sit down to enjoy what you’ve made before heading to Wellington’s waterfront for the Festival Fireworks Display.
Lunar New Year Dinner at Te Papa
Celebrate the magic of Lunar New Year with an unforgettable dining experience at Te Papa’s Rongomaraeroa. Enjoy a beautifully crafted three-course menu paired with fine New Zealand wines, surrounded by culture, and good company.
As night falls, step out to the museum’s exclusive viewing space for the best view in Wellington of the spectacular Lunar New Year fireworks display over the harbour.
TE PAPA LATE NIGHT - HORSES, DRAGON & TIGER TRILOGY and ARTIST TALK
Te Papa is extending its opening hours until 9pm, providing Wellingtonians with an opportunity to enjoy the exhibitions before Wellington’s waterfront is transformed into a vibrant stage for the spectacular Lunar New Year Fireworks Display. The night sky will ignite with a dazzling display to mark the Year of the Horse.
Performance Arcade preview at the waterfront
Kick off the Lunar New Year Festival Fireworks night with a preview of The Performance Arcade 2026 along the Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington waterfront. The site opens alongside the DVB (Double Vision Brewing) bar and authentic food trucks, creating a relaxed hub for food, drinks and live music before the skies light up.
Chinese Footprints
Celebrate the Lunar New Year on a walking tour exploring Wellington’s Chinese heritage. Join Oral History Advisor Lynette Shum and historian Nigel Murphy on a walking tour exploring the rich history of the Chinese in Wellington. The tour will also draw on images, ephemera, and oral history from the collections of the Alexander Turnbull Library.
Gallop into the New Year: Lunar New Year in the Hutt
Organised by Viet Hub NZ, in partnership with Hutt Multicultural Council and various local community groups, this festival is a joyful and inclusive celebration of Lunar New Year, designed to bring the vibrant traditions of Aotearoa’s Asian communities directly to the heart of the Hutt.