Overview
- The new year started on February 17, 2026, launching celebrations that typically run about 15 days and conclude with the Lantern Festival.
- Most reporting places the Fire Horse year through February 5, 2027, reflecting the prevailing calculation for this cycle’s end.
- Google marked the day with an interactive Doodle, as the date coincides with an annular solar eclipse visible in Antarctica and partially in southern South America and Africa.
- Customs highlighted across coverage include deep cleaning before the holiday, red decorations, reunion dinners, lion and dragon dances, hongbao gift envelopes, and symbolic dishes such as dumplings, fish and niangao.
- Festivities span global diaspora communities, with listings noting parades and cultural activities from Lima’s Chinatown and Confucius Institute events to celebrations in Mexico City.