Lunar New Year at Stanford

The drums start first, then the cymbals. A lion in red and gold bounds into a courtyard on the Stanford campus, weaving through the crowd and shaking its mane at the front row. About ten minutes later the dancers step out from under the costume to applause. This is Lunar New Year at Stanford: not one big festival but a run of student-led celebrations, performances and talks that fill the weeks around the holiday.

This guide covers what the holiday is, who celebrates on campus, what happened in 2026 and how to find events in 2027, when Lunar New Year falls on Saturday, February 6. Stanford had not posted its 2027 events as of November 1, 2026. For city and community celebrations in Palo Alto, see our main Lunar New Year guide.

The holiday

Lunar New Year marks the start of the year on the lunisolar calendar used across much of East and Southeast Asia. It is known as Spring Festival in China, Tết in Vietnam and Seollal in Korea, with customs that differ by culture: family reunion dinners, red envelopes of money for children, new clothes, cleaning the house and lion and dragon dances to bring luck. Celebrations traditionally run for about two weeks.

The 2026 new year fell on Tuesday, February 17. It began the Year of the Horse. The 2027 new year falls on Saturday, February 6, beginning the Year of the Goat, sometimes called the Year of the Sheep. A Saturday holiday makes it likely that campus groups and nearby venues will hold events on the weekend itself, though nothing had been announced.

Who celebrates on campus

Stanford's Lunar New Year calendar comes from many directions. Student cultural groups host the largest gatherings. Academic units hold their own receptions. The performing groups that appear at these events also take their shows off campus.

• Stanford Lion Dance Club: an Asian American student group founded in 2019 that uses performance to spread good luck and share cultural heritage. Lion dance combines dance, costumes, martial arts, music and acting. The Stanford Daily reported in 2024 that the group performs on and off campus, including at local elementary schools.
• Stanford Vietnamese Student Association: hosted a Lunar New Year celebration in White Plaza in February 2024.
• Performing groups: Stanford Taiko, the Filipino arts organization Kayumanggi, the K-pop group XTRM and the Vietnamese dance group Múa Lạc Hồng have all appeared at recent celebrations.
• Campus offices: in 2026 the Doerr School of Sustainability's Access, Belonging and Community Office hosted a lion dance celebration.

The 2026 season

At the Doerr School event the lion dance itself ran from 12:05 to 12:15 p.m., a reminder that the performances are short. Arrive on time. The shopping center event added complimentary treats from shops at the center.

Watching a lion dance

A lion dance is the moment most visitors come for. Each lion is worked by two dancers, one handling the head and one the body and tail, while musicians keep the rhythm on a drum, cymbals and a gong. The lion's moves follow the drum: a slow, curious prowl, then a burst of jumps and head shakes. Performers train for strength and balance, which is why the Stanford club describes its art as a blend of dance, martial arts, music and acting.

Performances are brief, often about ten minutes. They are also loud. The noise is the point: it is meant to scare off bad luck and welcome good fortune for the year ahead. Stand near the front if you want to see the eyes and mouth move up close. Step back a little if you have small children.

A student celebration in White Plaza

The Stanford Daily's account of the 2024 celebration, held on Sunday, February 11 for the Year of the Dragon, shows what the student events look like. The Stanford Vietnamese Student Association organized it in White Plaza, the open square near Tresidder Union. The Stanford Lion Dance club opened with a performance, followed by XTRM and Múa Lạc Hồng, whose dancers wore áo dài and performed with fans and parasols. The Asian Student Union and the Filipino-American Student Union ran lantern and fan painting, red envelope making and trivia.

Food was Vietnamese: rice cakes, fried rice, savory sticky rice cakes called bánh tét or bánh chưng and the sweet dessert chè. The Daily noted that the holiday is "not solely reserved for Asians." Visitors from outside the Vietnamese and Asian communities joined in.

How to find 2027 events

1. Check Stanford Events from mid-January. Search for "Lunar New Year" and "lion dance." Our guide to finding campus events explains the calendar.
2. Read each listing's audience line. Some events are open to all, others only to Stanford affiliates.
3. Follow the shopping center's event page for its free weekend celebration, held in 2026 on the Saturday after the holiday.
4. Look beyond campus. In 2026 Palo Alto's library, a community fair at Mitchell Park and Gamble Garden all held celebrations.

Tips for visitors

• Bring ear protection for small children. Lion dance drums and cymbals are loud up close.
• Stand where the lion can reach you. Lions often approach the crowd. At some performances, offering a red envelope is a traditional gesture. Follow the lead of organizers.
• Wear red if you like. It is the lucky color of the season.
• Plan for rain. February is one of the wetter months. Outdoor events may move indoors or cancel.

Getting there, food and stays

Campus events in central buildings are easiest by Caltrain to Palo Alto station, then the free Marguerite shuttle on weekdays or a walk of about 20 minutes up Palm Drive. Visitor parking is paid by zone through ParkMobile, with many central zones free on weekends. Our Stanford parking and transit guide has details. Stanford Shopping Center, on El Camino Real at Sand Hill Road, has large lots that the center does not list a fee for. See our shopping center guide.

For a holiday meal afterward, our guides to Chinese food and Vietnamese food list local restaurants. If you want the big parades and street fairs, San Francisco's Chinatown celebrations draw the largest crowds in the region. You can book a Chinatown walking tour to add context. Stanford Family Weekend follows on February 26 and 27, 2027, so book rooms near campus early if your trip overlaps.

Frequently asked questions