The Lunar New Year is lighting up Seattle’s Chinatown–International District, where restaurants are packed as the community welcomes the Year of the Fire Horse. Mak Fai Kung Fu lion dancers

Crouching lion, hidden dragon. It’s 4 p.m. on a Friday at the New York Chinese Freemasons Athletic Club on Canal Street, where 10-15 performers, who make up one of Chinatown’s oldest lion dancing troupes,

Sarula Bao created a fabric horse in the style of “bu zha,” an embroidery art form, for New York nonprofit Think!Chinatown’s annual Lantern Residency.

Blossom Plaza is the bark-y and beautiful bastion of all things pups on Feb. 28; that's when the Annual Lantern Paw Festival sassily shakes a tail. Count on plenty of participants from that morning's 2K PAW'er Dog Walk to swing by the festival where Fido-fun diversions shall abound.

The Year of the Horse is off to the races as the long running L.A. Chinatown Firecracker celebration returns to Chinatown on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 28-March 1.

The China Trade Center pop-up market has been a go-to spot for last‑minute flowers, decorations and cultural items as the community prepares to celebrate the Year of the Horse.

During Chinatown’s peak, SLO’s Chinese American residents — primarily single men —bought groceries and household goods from the Ah Louis Store, dined at family-run restaurants and worshiped at shrines dedicated to Buddhism and Taoism.

There have been celebrations leading up to the Chinese New Year this year and the Ala Moana Center is getting ready to kick off its six-day Lunar New Year event.