Lunar New Year 2026 Ushers in the Rare Fire Horse Year with Wide-Ranging Observances
The Lunar New Year began Tuesday, February 17, 2026, across mainland China and in Chinese communities worldwide, marking the start of the Year of the Fire Horse, a combination in the traditional Chinese zodiac that occurs once every 60 years.
The Spring Festival holiday period (anchored to the first new moon between January 21 and February 20 in the lunisolar Chinese calendar) fell on Feb. 17 this year and will extend through March 3 with the Lantern Festival closing the 15-day celebration.
According to official statements, the Year of the Fire Horse (Bing Wu in the traditional sexagenary cycle) succeeds the Year of the Wood Snake and pairs the Horse sign with the Fire element, a combination that last occurred in 1966 and will not recur until 2086.
In the formal zodiac listing, the 2026 Fire Horse year is defined as beginning on Feb. 17 and concluding on Feb. 5, 2027.
Communities across East and Southeast Asia observe the Lunar New Year as a key cultural and public holiday, with China expecting one of the highest domestic travel peaks during the Festival period as millions return home for family reunions and traditional activities.
The period is also known in China as „Chunyun,” a mass travel interval that each year prompts extensive transportation movement.
Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae of Japan, in an official Lunar New Year message released Feb. 16, referenced the zodiac transition in her greeting, underscoring governmental recognition of the cultural touchstone in neighboring countries by saying:
“As we embrace the Year of the Fire Horse it is my hope that this year will bring peace, happiness and prosperity,”
State tourism and cultural offices have also publicized planned public events tied to the Lunar New Year. In Macao, officials said a blessing ceremony and festival parade will take place from Feb. 19 through March 8 with floats, performances and exhibitions intended to draw domestic and international visitors during the holiday period.
Outside Asia, large Chinese diaspora communities staged celebrations converging on the Feb. 17 start date, with traditional lion and dragon dances, temple fairs, ceremonial offerings and community performances reported in cities worldwide.
Media accounts noted that participants lit incense, shared family meals and attended lantern displays consistent with established Spring Festival customs.
The zodiac designation also entered official and public discourse across Asia Pacific governments. Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong issued a Chinese New Year message emphasising multicultural harmony and noting the Year of the Fire Horse as part of the nation’s social calendar this week.
The festival’s timing and cultural prominence extend into traditional practices, including reunion dinners on New Year’s Eve, the exchange of red envelopes and community lantern festivals, reflecting the holiday’s status as one of the most significant annual observances in Chinese culture and across regions observing the lunisolar calendar.
