San Diego’s 2026 Lunar New Year calendar spans Convoy District, City Heights, downtown, and SeaWorld celebrations
Lunar New Year arrives Feb. 17, with events scheduled from late January into early March
Lunar New Year begins on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, marking the start of the Year of the Fire Horse in Chinese and Vietnamese astrology. In San Diego, public celebrations are set across multiple neighborhoods and venues, ranging from community festivals and cultural showcases to ticketed theme-park programming. The lineup reflects the region’s diverse Asian communities and the way Lunar New Year observances have expanded beyond a single weekend into a multiweek calendar.
Convoy District plans a kickoff event tied to its Cultural District designation
Convoy District, a long-established hub for Asian dining and commerce, is scheduled to host “Convoy Rising: A Lunar New Year Kickoff Celebration” on Sunday, Feb. 8 (3–8 p.m.). The event is planned as a night-market-style gathering with food vendors, artisan goods, and a lion dance exhibition, with activities centered near the cul-de-sac of Vickers Street off Convoy Street. Organizers have framed the event as a milestone tied to Convoy’s status as a City-designated Cultural District.
City Heights festival set for a three-day run at Officer Jeremy Henwood Memorial Park
A three-day San Diego Lunar New Year Festival is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 13 through Sunday, Feb. 15 at Officer Jeremy Henwood Memorial Park, adjacent to the City Heights/Weingart Library. Programming is listed to include cultural performances, arts and cultural exhibitions, lion dances, lantern displays, and family activities. The festival is promoted as inclusive and free to attend, adding a large, neighborhood-based option in the city’s Mid-City area.
Downtown’s historic Chinatown area hosts a two-day Chinese New Year Fair
In downtown San Diego’s former Chinatown footprint—now commonly referred to as the Asian Pacific Thematic District—a two-day San Diego Chinese New Year Fair is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 28 and Sunday, March 1 (10 a.m.–5 p.m. both days). The event is listed at and around the 400 block of Third Avenue, with planned elements including lion dance, martial arts demonstrations, cultural entertainment, food, and family activities. Transit guidance for the event highlights access via trolley lines and downtown stations, reflecting expectations of significant attendance and congestion typical of weekend festivals.
Balboa Park and SeaWorld add additional, venue-based programming
Separate from neighborhood festivals, Lunar New Year events are also posted for Balboa Park and SeaWorld San Diego. A Chinese New Year Fair is listed for Balboa Park on Feb. 21–22 (11 a.m.–5 p.m.) at 2191 Pan American Road W. SeaWorld San Diego is advertising a Lunar New Year program on select dates from late January through Feb. 16, featuring scheduled performances, décor, and food offerings as part of regular park admission.
Feb. 8: Convoy District kickoff celebration (3–8 p.m.)
Feb. 13–15: City Heights three-day festival at Officer Jeremy Henwood Memorial Park
Feb. 21–22: Balboa Park Chinese New Year Fair (11 a.m.–5 p.m.)
Feb. 28–March 1: Downtown Chinese New Year Fair in the Asian Pacific Thematic District (10 a.m.–5 p.m.)
With Lunar New Year falling midweek in 2026, San Diego’s largest public events cluster around the weekends before and after Feb. 17, extending celebrations into early March.