Stunning photos show how people celebrate Lunar New Year in 26 countries around the world

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People take part in a Chinese New Year celebration in Australia.
Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images
  • The Lunar New Year officially begins on January 22 and ends on February 5.
  • 2023 is the year of the rabbit, which is the zodiac sign that symbolizes the moon.
  • The Lunar New Year is celebrated around the world with parades, lots of lanterns, and fireworks.
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The Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival or the Lunar New Year, falls on January 22 this year, and people all around the world will be celebrating with parades, prayers, and festive displays of lanterns and fireworks.

Here's what Lunar New Year celebrations look like in 22 different countries.

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UK: Performers take part in a dragon dance in London's Trafalgar Square on January 29, 2017.

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London, UK.
Jack Taylor/Getty Images

USA: Dancers perform during the Chinese Lunar New Year parade in New York City's Chinatown on February 17, 2019.

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New York City, USA.
Andres Kudacki/AP
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PHILIPPINES: Filipinos of Chinese descent pray at the Seng Guan Temple in the Chinese district of Binondo, Manila, on February 19, 2015.

chinese new year philippines
Manila, Philippines.
Dondi Tawatao/Getty Images

JAPAN: People look on as a lion dance is performed outside a shop in Yokohama Chinatown, the largest Chinese community in Japan, on February 19, 2015.

chinese new year japan
Yokohama Chinatown, Japan.
Chris McGrath/Getty Images
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VIETNAM: Locals and foreigners celebrate at a countdown party in the center of Hanoi on January 28, 2017.

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Hanoi, Vietnam.
Linh Pham/Getty Images

MYANMAR: A girl sits on her mother's shoulders as they visit the Chinatown of Yangon during the Chinese New Year on January 28, 2017.

myanmar chinese new year
Yangon, Myanmar.
Soe Zeya Tun/Reuters
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RUSSIA: People in traditional costumes dance as part of a celebration of the Lunar New Year of the Dog in Chita, Russia, on February 17, 2018.

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Chita, Russia.
Yevgeny Yepanchintsev/Contributor for Getty Images

CANADA: Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau performs the eye-dotting tradition on a lion costume at a Chinese New Year's parade in Vancouver on January 29, 2017.

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Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Ben Nelms/Reuters
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SPAIN: A dragon figure visits a Madrid supermarket to bring good luck during a procession to celebrate the Year of the Monkey on February 13, 2016.

chinese new year spain
Madrid, Spain.
Denis Doyle/Getty Images

INDONESIA: A devotee holds incense sticks as she attends prayers during Chinese New Year celebrations on February 19, 2015, at Satya Dharma Temple in Denpasar, Bali.

chinese new year indonesia
Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia.
Agung Parameswara/Getty Images
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ITALY: Performers entertain the crowds during the Lunar parade through the center of Rome to celebrate the Year of the Rooster on January 27, 2017.

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Milan, Italy.
Barcroft Media/Contributor for Getty Images

AUSTRALIA: Hundreds of visitors enjoy the opening of the Chinese New Year Lantern Festival at Tumbalong Park in Sydney, on February 23, 2018 to celebrate the Year of the Dog.

chinese new year sydney australia
Sydney, Australia.
James D. Morgan/Contributor for Getty Images
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CHINA: Fireworks illuminate Hong Kong's skyline on January 29, 2017.

chinese new year hong kong
Hong Kong, China.
Lam Yik Fei/Getty Images

PANAMA: Members of a Lion Dance troupe perform in front of a local store to bring good luck to the business in Panama City on February 16, 2018.

chinese new year panama
Panama City, Panama.
Rodrigo Arangua/ Contributor for Getty Images
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NEW ZEALAND: People enjoy sights, sounds, and smells as they wander through Auckland's Lantern Festival in Albert Park on February 27, 2015.

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Auckland, New Zealand.
Phil Walter/Getty Images

INDIA: Members of the Chinese community perform a lion dance as they take part in the celebrations to mark the Chinese New Year in Kolkata, on February 8, 2016.

india chinese new year
Kolkata, India.
Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters
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SOUTH KOREA: South Koreans wearing traditional royal guards' clothes participate in a changing of the guards ceremony during a Lunar New Year day at Seoul's royal palace on January 31, 2014.

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Seoul, South Korea.
Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

MALAYSIA: A boy extends his arm for a blessing in front of a sacred fountain in Tien Hou Temple, in Kuala Lumpur, on January 31, 2014.

chinese new year malaysia
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Rahman Roslan/Getty Images
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BRAZIL: The statue of Christ the Redeemer is illuminated in red in honor of Chinese New Year in Rio de Janeiro on January 27, 2017.

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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters

FRANCE: Dancers perform for the Lunar New Year prior to a soccer match at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris on February 17, 2018.

chinese new year paris france soccer stadium
Paris, France.
Francois Mori/AP
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SOUTH AFRICA: As the sun sets, dancers perform in First Chinatown, Johannesburg, to commemorate the Year of the Dog on February 24, 2018.

chinese new year south africa
Gulshan Khan/Contributor for Getty Images

ISRAEL: Chinese Ambassador to Israel Zhan Yongxin and former Israeli President Shimon Peres shake hands before an event marking the Chinese New Year on February 8th, 2016, in Tel Aviv.

israel chinese new year
Tel Aviv, Israel.
Baz Ratner/Reuters
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THAILAND: A woman put money in the mouth of a dragon head as a symbol of good luck as dancers perform in Chinatown in Bangkok on January 19, 2023.

A woman puts money in the mouth of a dragon as dancers perform in Chinatown in Bangkok
A woman puts money in the mouth of a dragon as dancers perform in Chinatown in Bangkok on January 19, 2023, ahead of the Lunar New Year of the Rabbit, which falls on January 22.
LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA/AFP via Getty Images

SINGAPORE: Lunar New Year lantern decorations lit up the night at Singapore's Gardens by the Bay on January 29, 2022, as Singaporeans rang in the year of the tiger.

Lunar New Year lantern decorations of "River Hongbao" at Singapore's Gardens by the Bay
Photo taken on Jan. 29, 2022 shows the preview of the Lunar New Year lantern decorations of "River Hongbao" at Singapore's Gardens by the Bay.
Then Chih Wey/Xinhua via Getty Images)
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MONGOLIA: Children perform Peking opera, the most dominant form of Chinese opera, on a livestream as they welcome the year of the ox on February 1, 2021 in Hohhot, the capital of Inner Mongolia.

A live stream is broadcast on the mobile phone as children perform Peking Opera
A live stream is broadcast on the mobile phone as children perform Peking Opera to welcome the upcoming Chinese New Year, the Year of the Ox, on February 1, 2021 in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China.
Wang Zheng/VCG via Getty Images)

Source: Britannica

TAIWAN: People light up firecrackers at the night parade of the Tudigong, a tutelary deity in Chinese folk religion, to mark the end of the Lunar New Year celebrations in Taipei on February 27, 2021.

People let off firecrackers to celebrate the Lantern Festival in Taipei
The night parade of the Tudigong, a tutelary deity, people let off firecrackers to celebrate the Lantern Festival which marks the end of the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, February 27, 2021.
Annabelle Chih/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Editor's note: This list was first published in February 2018 and has been updated to include more countries and photos.

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