Lunar New Year celebrations begin Wednesday. Here's everything to know about the 2025 Lunar New Year, the Year of the Snake.

In many Asian cultures, the Lunar New Year is a celebration marking the arrival of spring and the start of a new year on the lunisolar calendar.

For skywatchers, the Lunar New Year lines up perfectly with the new moon. According to NASA, the new moon becomes official at 7:36 a.m. Wednesday when it passes between the Earth and the Sun.

Lunar New Year ushers in the Year of the Snake on Wednesday, with events and feasts happening around D.C. over the next two-plus weeks. Pro tip: Many events are free, especially around the Smithsonian,

The Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, is a traditional Asian celebration that has been observed in for thousands of years. Every winter, Asian communities around the world ring in the Lunar New Year with carnivals, food, family gatherings, parades and more.

Over 1 billion people celebrate the holiday, which marks the transition from cold winter to a season of renewal and ushers in one of 12 Chinese zodiac signs.

In honor of the Year of the Snake, let’s appreciate the strange anatomy and evolution of these slithery reptiles

When is Lunar New Year in 2025? And why do people wear red as part of the celebrations? Answers to these questions and more as we say goodbye to the Dragon and enter the Year of the Snake.