Lunar New Year Lights Up Auckland City Centre with Free Celebrations Across February
Published: Thursday 29 January 2026
Lunar New Year comes to life in the heart of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland with a vibrant programme of free events, installations and cultural experiences across the city centre this February.
From Tuesday, 17 February to Tuesday, 3 March, the city centre will come alive with colour, music and creativity, celebrating Lunar New Year through a mix of traditional and contemporary Asian-Aotearoa culture across streets, squares and cultural venues.
The city centre programme brings together Auckland Live, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Ellen Melville Centre, Auckland Central City Library – Tāmaki Pātaka Kōrero and Heart of the City, working across public spaces, cultural venues and precincts to create a connected celebration in the heart of Auckland. All activity in the programme is supported by Auckland Council Events and the city centre targeted rate.
Activations led by Auckland Live will visually transform the city centre, including Xin Xin, the giant Lucky Cat in Aotea Square, glowing red neon Lucky Cats along Darby Street, and a light box exhibition showcasing contemporary illustration by New Zealand Asian artists at Te Komititanga. Together, these installations create a strong visual trail through the city centre and invite people to explore, wander and celebrate together.
Daniel Clarke, Director of Auckland Live, says Lunar New Year is an important cultural moment in the year, and the city centre programme is about creating space for people to come together and feel represented.
“Lunar New Year is a time when many communities reconnect with culture, family and tradition, and our role is to help make that visible and accessible in the heart of the city. By bringing activity into streets, squares and cultural venues, we’re supporting a city centre that feels welcoming, vibrant and alive.”
A key moment in the programme is Lunar on Lorne, a refreshed Lunar New Year street party on Saturday, 21 February, delivered by Auckland Live. The free event will transform Te Hā o Hine (Khartoum Place) into a buzzing celebration of contemporary Asian-Aotearoa culture, with music, street dance, performance and street-level activity. Full programme details will be released via the Auckland Live website.
The programme also features ASIAN [SOUND]SCAPES on Thursday, 19 February, a free evening concert in Aotea Square as part of Auckland Live Summer in the Square, showcasing contemporary Asian-Aotearoa musicians across genres and creating a relaxed after-work celebration in the city centre.
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki will present a full day of free Lunar New Year activity on Saturday, 21 February, including lion dancing, K-pop workshops and performances, lantern-making, calligraphy, Mandarin-language gallery tours (bookable), and a wide range of whānau-friendly creative activities.
Also on Saturday, 21 February, the Ellen Melville Centre, with the support of the Waitematā Local Board, will present Chun Seollal Lunar New Year, a fun family-focused celebration led by Korean and Chinese communities featuring cultural performances, cuisine and hands-on workshops. This will be followed by another family-friendly Lunar New Year programme at the Central City Library – Tāmaki Pātaka Kōrero, on Saturday, 28 February, offering storytelling, craft workshops and creative play for tamariki.
Heart of the City’s Lunar New Year activations will be bringing the celebration to life with vibrant lantern installations and immersive walking food tours, offering a festive journey through culture, flavours, and community.
Lunar New Year celebrations continue beyond the city centre with the BNZ Auckland Lantern Festival, supported by Auckland Council Events, at the Manukau Sports Bowl from Wednesday, 26 February to Sunday, 1 March, marking the conclusion of the Lunar New Year period with lanterns, performances, food and fireworks celebrating Chinese culture.
To explore the full line-up of Lunar New Year events, please visit Discover Auckland.
