When is Lunar New Year?
Updated August 24, 2026 · this page carries the 2026 and 2027 dates.
Lunar New Year — the biggest holiday of the year across Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and other East and Southeast Asian communities — closes almost nothing on America's official calendars: banks, mail, the markets, and federal offices all keep regular hours, even as parades shut down streets in a dozen major cities.
The closures that do exist are local and growing: New York City schools have taken Lunar New Year off since 2016, California made it a state holiday for state workers in 2023, and community businesses in the celebration neighborhoods close or shorten the first days. The date follows the lunar calendar — the second new moon after the winter solstice — landing between late January and mid-February.
| Year | Falls on |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Tuesday, February 17, 2026 |
| 2027 | Saturday, February 6, 2027 |
Lunar New Year falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice, so it lands between late January and mid-February. Celebrations run about fifteen days, through the Lantern Festival.
What's open and closed on Lunar New Year?
| Who | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Banks | Open — regular hours; Lunar New Year isn't on the Federal Reserve holiday calendar. | Federal Reserve holiday schedule Checked August 2026 |
| Mail & the Post Office | Running — normal delivery and retail hours. | USPS holiday schedule Checked August 2026 |
| The Stock Market | Open — U.S. exchanges hold normal sessions (markets in China and much of Asia close for several days, which can thin overnight trading). | NYSE holiday calendar Checked August 2026 |
| The Bond Market | Open — SIFMA's U.S. calendar doesn't mark Lunar New Year. | SIFMA recommended holiday schedule Checked August 2026 |
| UPS | Running — normal U.S. pickup and delivery; shipments to and from much of Asia can slow while businesses there close for the holiday week. | UPS holiday schedule Checked August 2026 |
| FedEx | Running — normal U.S. pickup and delivery; Asia-bound shipments can slow during the holiday week there. | FedEx holiday service schedule Checked August 2026 |
| Federal Offices | Open — Lunar New Year isn't one of the eleven federal holidays. | OPM federal holiday schedule Checked August 2026 |
| Trash Pickup | Running — collection calendars don't mark Lunar New Year. | your city or hauler's holiday schedule Checked August 2026 |
| Schools | Varies — New York City schools close for Lunar New Year, and some districts and California state offices observe it; most districts stay open. Check your calendar. | your school district's calendar Checked August 2026 |
Questions people ask
Is Lunar New Year a holiday in the US?
Not federally — banks, mail, the markets, and federal offices all run normally. New York City schools close for it, California observes it for state workers, and several cities and districts mark it locally, but there's no nationwide closure.
Does Lunar New Year affect shipping from China?
Yes, noticeably — factories and businesses across China and much of East and Southeast Asia close for a week or more around the holiday, so international orders and freight placed near the date commonly ship later. U.S. domestic UPS, FedEx, and mail service run normally throughout.
Why does the date move between January and February?
Lunar New Year falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice, so it lands anywhere from about January 21 to February 20. Celebrations then run roughly fifteen days, through the Lantern Festival at the next full moon.