With a lion dance, crafts, storytime, and Year of the Horse activities, this Winter Village event is an easy way to spend a festive Saturday morning in Midtown.
At a Glance
- Free Lunar New Year celebration in Midtown
- Year of the Horse crafts and take-home activities
- Lion dance performance + chance to meet the lions
- Storytime (including a special on-ice moment)
- Kid-friendly performances and movement activities
What to Expect at Bryant Park’s Lunar New Year Celebration
If you’re looking for something fun to do with kids this weekend, Bryant Park has a Lunar New Year celebration on Saturday, February 21, 2026, from 10:30 am to 1:45 pm, that’s easy to drop into between errands. It’s all happening in the Winter Village, so you can pop by for an hour or make a whole morning of it, and enjoy crafts, performances, and a few little surprises around the park.
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It’s the Year of the Horse
This year is the Year of the Horse, which is traditionally linked with energy, independence, and a playful spirit, perfect for kids and a mix of hands-on activities, music, and movement. We could all really use it, since it’s felt difficult at best to summon positive energy and a playful spirit lately, but it’s definitely something we all need.
Even if your kids don’t care about symbolism, they might love making something to take home, watching the lions come to life, or trying a ribbon dance themselves.
The nice thing about this event is that it’s set up so families can bounce between a few different activities depending on what your kids are in the mood for.
Breakdown of Events
One of the highlights you won’t want to miss is the lion dance. It’s always a crowd favorite and truly a spectacle to see up close. The energy, the drumming, and the colorful costumes make it a standout moment. It’s loud, colorful, and exciting, but definitely hard on the ears, so it’s not ideal for sensitive kids. Right before the performance, there’s a chance to meet the New York Chinese Cultural Center (NYCCC) lions up close.
If your kids would rather do a more subdued activity, the drop-in arts and crafts are a fun part of the morning. Children can make lanterns and Year of the Horse puppets to take home, which is always nice to have a keepsake to remember the day. There’s also a Wishing Tree where kids can write down wishes for the new year and tie them up.
If your kid has a lot of energy to burn, the ribbon dance workshop is a fun, active class where kids can jump in and try it themselves. It’s also open to all ages and abilities.
The event also includes Winter Storytime with Cali Co Cat, plus a Storytime on Ice performance featuring the Bryant Parkettes. It’s basically Lunar New Year meets Winter Village, and it makes the whole morning feel a little more special and very New York.
For more information on the day’s schedule, visit the Bryant Park Winter Village website.
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