Go by TriMet to Lunar New Year festivals, celebrations across Portland metro area
TriMet is here to help you welcome in the Year of the Horse!
Lunar New Year is one of the biggest holidays on the calendar for many people around the world — including in the Portland metro area. Go by TriMet and check out these Lunar New Year celebrations over the next few weeks.
Plan your trip at trimet.org!
Celebrate a new beginning
This year, Lunar New Year falls on Feb. 17. But while the day itself is important, the celebration of Lunar New Year is an entire holiday season unto itself.
Here are a few upcoming events you can reach with ease on TriMet.
Lunar New Year at Lan Su
Lan Su Chinese Garden is one of Portland’s most beloved institutions. An oasis of tradition and tranquility in the Chinatown neighborhood, Lan Su goes all out for Lunar New Year — transforming into a lively, exuberant festival spot.
The season of festivities runs from Feb. 17 to March 8. There are spectacular events, including:
- Lion Dances on Feb. 17 and the three following Saturdays and Sundays
- Dragon + Light Show Nights every Wednesday through Sunday, from Feb. 18 to March 1
- Music + Lantern Viewing Nights from March 4 to March 8
It’s easy to get there on TriMet! Lan Su is only one block west of the Old Town/Chinatown MAX Station, on the MAX Blue and Red lines. Several bus lines — including Line 4-Fessenden, Line 8-Jackson Park/NE 15th and Line 17-Holgate/Broadway, which are part of TriMet’s Frequent Service network — also stop at or near the garden.
Visit lansugarden.org to learn more and buy tickets. Plan your trip at trimet.org!
Chinese New Year Cultural Fair
The Oregon Convention Center will host one of the biggest annual Lunar New Year celebrations in Portland on Saturday, Feb. 28.
The Chinese New Year Cultural Fair offers a full day of entertainment, shopping, food and more. Stop by anytime from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This is a great event for families, with activities and performances to delight all ages. It’s also a fantastic way to support local artists and small businesses, as well as the fair’s organizers: the Portland Chinese Times and the Oregon Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association.
To get there, take the MAX Blue, Green or Red Line to the Convention Center MAX Station, or the MAX Yellow Line to the Interstate/Rose Quarter MAX Station just a few blocks west. Many TriMet bus lines also serve the nearby Rose Quarter Transit Center or other nearby stops. The Portland Streetcar stops right in front of the Convention Center.
Learn more about the fair at oregonccba.org, and plan your trip at trimet.org. Be sure to set your travel date for Saturday!
Washington Square Lunar New Year Celebration
You can celebrate Lunar New Year on the west side too, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28.
Washington Square hosts a Lunar New Year Celebration in the Summit Court, featuring performers from local schools and community groups, arts and crafts, a Wishing Tree, and more.
The event is presented in partnership with Explore Tualatin Valley.
TriMet’s Washington Square Transit Center is right outside two mall entrances, on the northeast side. The transit center is served Saturdays by bus lines 56-Scholls Ferry/Marquam Hill, 62-Murray Blvd, 76-Hall/Greenburg and 78-Denney/Kerr Pkwy.
Visit shopwashingtonsquare.com for more information. See your trip options by using our planner at trimet.org.
Lunar New Year Dragon Dance Parade and Celebration
The 10th Annual Lunar New Year Dragon Dance and Celebration is coming up Saturday, March 7.
This colorful and dramatic celebration is organized by the Portland Chinatown Museum (PCM) and co-presented with the Oregon Historical Society (OHS).
The event begins at 10 a.m. with a parade led by the PCM’s 150-foot dragon. The parade route begins at NW 3rd Avenue and Davis Street — about two blocks from the Old Town/Chinatown MAX Station, on the MAX Blue and Red lines. It makes its way down SW 3rd Avenue, then up SW Jefferson Street to the OHS Jin and Julieann Park Plaza. Festivities continue until 1 p.m.
The plaza is just two blocks west of the SW 6th & Madison MAX Station, on the MAX Green and Orange lines. The parade route also passes by many TriMet bus stops on and near the Portland Transit Mall.
Check out portlandchinatownmuseum.org to learn more. Visit trimet.org to plan your trip! Set your travel date for Saturday for accurate, up-to-date schedules.
Riding with TriMet
You can plan your trip, track your vehicle, access online resources and more at trimet.org. Use the language menu to translate any page on our site into five of the most commonly spoken languages in the metro area: Chinese, Korean, Russian, Spanish and Vietnamese.
It’s easy to pay your fare on TriMet. Just tap your bank card or smartphone with digital wallet at a green Hop reader. This instantly pays Adult fare, good for up to 2½ hours of riding. With your second tap, you can ride for the rest of the service day. Be sure to tap at the platform before boarding MAX and when boarding the bus or streetcar.
You can also pay Adult fare, along with Honored Citizen and Youth fare, using a Hop Fastpass® fare card. If you need a Hop card, you can purchase one at any MAX station, the TriMet Customer Support Center or one of our many retail partners.
Our Rules for Riding help keep TriMet safe, clean and welcoming for all. To report unwanted or suspicious behavior, vandalism or a cleaning issue, please call or text 503-238-7344 (RIDE). Our 24-hour security hotline is staffed around the clock, every day.We welcome riders from all over! TriMet has dozens of Park & Ride facilities across our tri-county service area, with free parking for transit riders for up to 24 hours at most locations. You can find a Park & Ride near you at trimet.org.