Denver Lunar New Year Celeberation - Year of the Dragon

2024 Denver Lunar New Year Celebration
“Reclaiming and Celebrating AANHPI Identity”

Saturday, February 3, 2024
11AM to 4pm
McNichols Center at Civic Center Park
144 W Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80202

Join the Denver Asian American Pacific Islander Commission (DAAPIC) and Colorado AANHPI organizations for this free, family-friendly Lunar New Year Celebration featuring local artists, a food truck park and marketplace, cultural entertainment, and of course, lion dancing!

Lunar New Year Day is an official state holiday in Colorado!

Akihabara Arcade Bar is holding their annual Art Night! So grab a drink, play some classic Japanese arcade games, and buy some art from some great local artists!

The Otaku Clan is hosting a Lunar New Year celebration for the Year of the Dragon! There will be live performances, food trucks, and vendors from 11 am - 4 pm. Come hang out to celebrate and shop!

The Far East Center proudly announces their Lunar New Year Initiative for 2024, a series of cultural events celebrating the Lunar New Year and honoring the Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community. Over the course of eight weeks starting on Jan. 2, Coloradans will have the opportunity to engage in arts and crafts, storytelling, holistic health workshops, culinary events, and more, all spotlighting the vibrant AANHPI culture at the Far East Center community space (333 South Federal Boulevard Unit 129 Denver, CO 80219).

Brought to you by the Denver Economic Development & Opportunity office, Truong An Gifts, Far East Center, and NEWSED Community Development Corporation, the two-month-long Lunar New Year programming concludes with the shopping center’s revered 33rd Annual Lunar New Year Celebration on Feb. 10-11, 2024 at the Far East Center parking lot.

The initiative also plays a vital role in stimulating economic activity, particularly benefiting local businesses and community centers. By sponsoring and participating in these events, businesses have a unique opportunity to connect with the community and showcase their support for cultural diversity.

Lunar New Year Holiday Market (Feb. 1-9): Shop for holiday essentials and indulge in an array of local foods, treats, and decorations ready in time for the Lunar New Year holiday.

TeriYakiTime will only be at the market on February 8th.

Japanese Arts Network presents a community-driven and multi-disciplinary festival of Japanese culture in Colorado featuring headliner, Japanese American Hip-Hop artist Lyrics Born. Performances will open with JA-NE Cultural Mix-tape - celebrating music, cultural traditions, and heritage through genre-bending live music, dance, and aerial performance. The festival will also feature a market of artists and vendors, community organizations, and food trucks representing the multi-faceted cultural diaspora of Japan in Colorado.

Asian Girls Ignite ‘s second annual ElevAsian Night Market Fundraiser, where Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women rule the night.

Eat, drink, and shop AAPI women-owned restaurants and businesses. Enjoy performances and entertainment by AAPI women and AAPI women-led groups. Raise $25K for AAPI girls and gender-expansive youth.

Get tickets here!

Denver's Indigenous Comic and Art Festival is on the way! ayA Con is a celebration of indigeneity hosted by and highlighting North American Indigenous creators. This all-inclusive family festival will feature comic creators, bead artists, musicians, digital illustrators, designers, dancers, and much more. Come celebrate your heritage and build connections with us!

Check out more info here!

Bunka No Hi is a national holiday in Japan celebrating Japanese culture. It is held in November every year and each region has its own unique cultural celebration. Denver Takayama Sister Cities will be celebrating Bunka No Hi with performances and presentations by local experts in the field from the US and in Denver.

This year is a special year for Japanese American communities as we celebrate the 80th anniversary of Amache camp, also known as the Granada Relocation Center. The camp is designated as a National Historic Site this year and the stories will be told to the next generation. As part of Bunka No Hi, we have invited a special guest to tell us about the internment camp's history and life during that time. In addition, please visit the permanent Amache exhibit on the second floor of History Colorado Center museum to learn more about this history.

Register HERE! Tickets are FREE with purchase of museum admission.