Chinese New Year 2026 to begin February 17

The Chinese New Year in 2026 is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, February 17. This date marks the start of the Year of the Fire Horse, a zodiac combination that occurs only once every sixty years.

The Spring Festival celebrations will span fifteen days, concluding on Tuesday, March 3, with the Lantern Festival. The timing of the new year is determined by the lunisolar calendar, which aligns the lunar cycles with the solar course, placing the 2026 transition later than in the previous two years.