Overview: The City of San Bernardino will host its third annual Lunar New Year Celebration on February 21, featuring cultural musical performances, demonstrations, arts and crafts, food vendors, art galleries, and more. The free family event will celebrate the Year of the Horse, which represents speed, independence, and energy. The festivities will include a traditional dragon dance, Chinese flute player, Taiko drummers, a Filipino dance ensemble, and the Indian Springs High School Band. More than 40 food vendors and merchants will sell goods, and community groups and sponsor informational booths will be set up.
Ellen Perrault
The City of San Bernardino will be ringing in the Year of the Horse at its third annual Lunar New Year Celebration on Saturday, February 21 from 12:00 pm until 6:00 pm at the downtown Court Street Square.
This free family event will feature cultural musical performances, demonstrations, arts and crafts, food vendors, art galleries and much more.
“I’m so proud that our city’s Lunar New Year Festival has grown into a vibrant tradition that brings people of all backgrounds together to celebrate culture, family, and new beginnings,” said San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran.
The Court Street Square, located at 349 North E Street will be transformed by the San Bernardino Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department, much like recent celebrations such as the Christmas themed Miracle on Court Street in December and the Dia de los Muertos festival in November.
The festivities will include musical performances and cultural demonstrations, featuring a traditional dragon dance, Chinese flute player, Taiko drummers, a Filipino dance ensemble, and the Indian Springs High School Band; Arts and Crafts for the whole family, including creating paper lanterns, dragon puppets, origami, and dragon ornaments; multiple staged photo areas; a gallery highlighting San Bernardino’s Sister Cities from the East; more than 40 food vendors and merchants selling goods; and community groups and sponsor informational booths.
“The Lunar New Year Celebration is fun for the entire family, especially the kids,” said Parks and Recreation Director Vanessa Carder. “The kids really have a great time, especially watching the dragon dance.”
“As part of the annual Lunar New Year tradition, a different animal is recognized on a twelve-year rotating cycle with traits and symbols that hold meaning for what’s to come in the new year,“ Carder added.
This year marks the Year of the Horse, and the horse will play a featured role in traditional musical performances and throughout the celebration. The horse represents speed, independence, and energy. 2026 is a Fire Horse year, which occurs only once every 60 years and is seen as highly energetic.
“As we welcome the Year of the Horse, may this celebration inspire unity, joy, and forward momentum for San Bernardino and all who call it home,” added Mayor Tran.
Lunar New Year is one of the most important celebrations of the year among Eastern and Southeast Asian cultures. It reflects the new year on the lunisolar calendar. It is the most important holiday in China, and widely observed throughout Asia, and in Asian American communities throughout the United States.
In most countries, the Lunar New Year celebration lasts for fifteen days. This year, the celebration runs from February 17 through March 3.
Event sponsors include Lucky Star Marketing, Hiep Thanh, Inland Chinese Association, DAO Real Estate, San Bernardino County Dept of Public Health, and the Vietnamese American Business Association.