Chinese New Year 2026/ 2027: Dates & Calendar
Great News! On Dec. 4, 2024, the UNESCO added Spring Festival, also Chinese Lunar New Year, to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. To date, China has 44 items inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, ranking first in the world!
When is Chinese New Year 2026/2027? - February 17 for 2026, February 6 for 2027
The Chinese New Year of 2026 falls on February 17th (Tuesday), and will last to February 21th. It is the Year of Horse. As an official public holiday, Chinese people can get nine days' off from work, February 15th to February 23th.
The Chinese New Year of 2027 falls on February 6th (Tuesday), and will last to February 10th. It is the Year of Sheep. As an official public holiday, Chinese people can get nine days' off from work, from February 4th to February 12.
How long is Chinese New Year holiday?
The legal holiday is seven days long, from the Lunar New Year's Eve to the sixth day of the first lunar month.
Some companies and public institutions enjoy a longer holiday up to 10 days or more, because in common knowledge among Chinese people, the festival lasts longer, from the Lunar New Year's Eve to the 15th day of the first lunar month (Lantern Festival).
Chinese New Year Dates & Calendar in 2026
2026 Lunar New Year falls on February 17th.
The public holiday lasts from February 15th to February 23th, during which the New Year's Eve on February 16th and the New Year's Day on February 17th are the peak time of celebration.
The commonly known New Year calendar counts from the New Year's Eve to the Lantern Festival on March 3, 2026.
According to the old folk customs, the traditional celebration starts even earlier, from the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month.
Why do Chinese New Year dates change every year?
Chinese New Year dates vary slightly between years, but it usually comes during the period from January 21st to February 20th in Gregorian calendar. The dates change every year because the festival is based on the Chinese Lunar Calendar. The lunar calendar is associated with the movement of the moon, which usually defines traditional festivals like the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival), Lantern Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, and Mid-Autumn Day.
The lunar calendar is also associated with 12 animal signs in Chinese zodiac, so every 12 years is regarded as a cycle. 2026 is a Year of the Horse, while 2027 turns to be a Year of the Sheep.
Chinese New Year Calendar (1930 - 2030)
| Years | New Year Dates | Animal Signs |
|---|---|---|
| 1930 | Jan. 30, 1930 (Thursday) | Horse |
| 1931 | Feb. 17, 1931 (Tuesday) | Sheep |
| 1932 | Feb. 6, 1932 (Saturday) | Monkey |
| 1933 | Jan. 26, 1933 (Thursday) | Rooster |
| 1934 | Feb. 14, 1934 (Wednesday) | Dog |
| 1935 | Feb. 4, 1935 (Monday) | Pig |
| 1936 | Jan. 24, 1936 (Friday) | Rat |
| 1937 | Feb. 11, 1937 (Thursday) | Ox |
| 1938 | Jan. 31, 1938 (Monday) | Tiger |
| 1939 | Feb. 19, 1939 (Sunday) | Rabbit |
| 1940 | Feb. 8, 1940(Thursday) | Dragon |
| 1941 | Jan. 27, 1941 (Monday) | Snake |
| 1942 | Feb. 15, 1942 (Sunday) | Horse |
| 1943 | Feb. 4, 1943 (Friday) | Sheep |
| 1944 | Jan. 25, 1944 (Tuesday) | Monkey |
| 1945 | Feb. 13, 1945 (Tuesday) | Rooster |
| 1946 | Feb. 1, 1946 (Saturday) | Dog |
| 1947 | Jan. 22, 1947 (Wednesday) | Pig |
| 1948 | Feb. 10, 1948 (Tuesday) | Rat |
| 1949 | Jan. 29, 1949 (Saturday) | Ox |
| 1950 | Feb. 17, 1950 (Friday) | Tiger |
| 1951 | Feb. 6, 1951 (Tuesday) | Rabbit |
| 1952 | Jan. 27, 1952 (Sunday) | Dragon |
| 1953 | Feb. 14, 1953 (Saturday) | Snake |
| 1954 | Feb. 3, 1954 (Wednesday) | Horse |
| 1955 | Jan. 24, 1955 (Monday) | Sheep |
| 1956 | Feb. 12, 1956 (Sunday) | Monkey |
| 1957 | Jan. 31, 1957 (Thursday) | Rooster |
| 1958 | Feb. 18, 1958 (Tuesday) | Dog |
| 1959 | Feb. 8, 1959 (Sunday) | Pig |
| 1960 | Jan. 28, 1960 (Thursday) | Rat |
| 1961 | Feb. 15, 1961 (Wednesday) | Ox |
| 1962 | Feb. 5, 1962 (Monday) | Tiger |
| 1963 | Jan. 25, 1963 (Friday) | Rabbit |
| 1964 | Feb. 13, 1964 (Thursday) | Dragon |
| 1965 | Feb. 2, 1965 (Tuesday) | Snake |
| 1966 | Jan. 21, 1966 (Friday) | Horse |
| 1967 | Feb. 9, 1967 (Thursday) | Sheep |
| 1968 | Jan. 30, 1968 (Tuesday) | Monkey |
| 1969 | Feb. 17, 1969 (Monday) | Rooster |
| 1970 | Feb. 6, 1970 (Friday) | Dog |
| 1971 | Jan. 27, 1971 (Wednesday) | Pig |
| 1972 | Feb. 15, 1972 (Tuesday) | Rat |
| 1973 | Feb. 3, 1973 (Saturday) | Ox |
| 1974 | Jan. 23, 1974 (Wednesday) | Tiger |
| 1975 | Feb. 11, 1975 (Tuesday) | Rabbit |
| 1976 | Jan. 31, 1976 (Saturday) | Dragon |
| 1977 | Feb. 18, 1977 (Friday) | Snake |
| 1978 | Feb. 7, 1978 (Tuesday) | Horse |
| 1979 | Jan. 28, 1979 (Sunday) | Sheep |
| 1980 | Feb. 16, 1980 (Saturday) | Monkey |
| 1981 | Feb. 5, 1981 (Thursday) | Rooster |
| 1982 | Jan. 25, 1982 (Monday) | Dog |
| 1983 | Feb. 13, 1983 (Sunday) | Pig |
| 1984 | Feb. 2, 1984 (Wednesday) | Rat |
| 1985 | Feb. 20, 1985 (Sunday) | Ox |
| 1986 | Feb. 9, 1986 (Sunday) | Tiger |
| 1987 | Jan. 29, 1987 (Thursday) | Rabbit |
| 1988 | Feb. 17, 1988 (Wednesday) | Dragon |
| 1989 | Feb. 6, 1989 (Monday) | Snake |
| 1990 | Jan. 27, 1990 (Friday) | Horse |
| 1991 | Feb. 15, 1991 (Friday) | Sheep |
| 1992 | Feb. 4, 1992 (Tuesday) | Monkey |
| 1993 | Jan. 23, 1993 (Saturday) | Rooster |
| 1994 | Feb. 10, 1994 (Thursday) | Dog |
| 1995 | Jan. 31, 1995 (Tuesday) | Pig |
| 1996 | Feb. 19, 1996 (Monday) | Rat |
| 1997 | Feb. 7, 1997 (Friday) | Ox |
| 1998 | Jan. 28, 1998 (Wednesday) | Tiger |
| 1999 | Feb. 16, 1999 (Tuesday) | Rabbit |
| 2000 | Feb. 5, 2000(Friday) | Dragon |
| 2001 | Jan. 24, 2001 (Wednesday) | Snake |
| 2002 | Feb. 12, 2002 (Tuesday) | Horse |
| 2003 | Feb. 1, 2003 (Friday) | Sheep |
| 2004 | Jan. 22, 2004 (Thursday) | Monkey |
| 2005 | Feb. 9, 2005 (Wednesday) | Rooster |
| 2006 | Jan. 29, 2006 (Sunday) | Dog |
| 2007 | Feb. 18, 2007 (Sunday) | Pig |
| 2008 | Feb. 7, 2008 (Thursday) | Rat |
| 2009 | Jan. 26, 2009 (Monday) | Ox |
| 2010 | Feb. 14, 2010(Sunday) | Tiger |
| 2011 | Feb. 3, 2011 (Thursday) | Rabbit |
| 2012 | Jan. 23, 2012 (Monday) | Dragon |
| 2013 | Feb. 10, 2013 (Sunday) | Snake |
| 2014 | Jan. 31, 2014 (Friday) | Horse |
| 2015 | Feb. 19, 2015 (Thursday) | Sheep |
| 2016 | Feb. 8, 2016 (Monday) | Monkey |
| 2017 | Jan. 28, 2017 (Friday) | Rooster |
| 2018 | Feb. 16, 2018 (Friday) | Dog |
| 2019 | Feb. 5, 2019 (Tuesday) | Pig |
| 2020 | Jan. 25, 2020 (Saturday) | Rat |
| 2021 | Feb. 12, 2021 (Friday) | Ox |
| 2022 | Feb. 1, 2022 (Tuesday) | Tiger |
| 2023 | Jan. 22, 2023 (Sunday) | Rabbit |
| 2024 | Feb. 10, 2024 (Saturday) | Dragon |
| 2025 | Jan. 29, 2025 (Wednesday) | Snake |
| 2026 | Feb. 17, 2026 (Tuesday) | Horse |
| 2027 | Feb. 6, 2027 (Saturday) | Sheep |
| 2028 | Jan. 26, 2028 (Wednesday) | Monkey |
| 2029 | Feb. 13, 2029 (Tuesday) | Rooster |
| 2030 | Feb. 3, 2030 (Sunday) | Dog |
