Lunar New Year, often called the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year, is the most important holiday in China and many other Asian communities. Every year is marked by a different animal and 2025 is the Year of the Snake.

Lunar New Year marks the beginning of a new year based on lunar or lunisolar calendars. It is often referred to as Chinese New Year, especially in China, where it is a major cultural celebration. The festival begins on the first new moon of the lunar calendar and lasts for 15 days,

Lunar New Year celebrations begin Wednesday. Here's everything to know about the 2025 Lunar New Year, the Year of the Snake.

Celebrations vary from culture to culture, but typically on the first day of Lunar New Year people visit the senior members of their extended family. One of the most recognizable celebrations is lion dance troupes, a dramatic tradition meant to usher in the New Year and expel evil spirits.

To welcome the year of the snake, Tet Fest celebrates with authentic food, music and dances. From Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, the Mary Queen of Vietnam Church in the Village de L'Est of New Orleans East, the state's largest Vietnamese community, transforms into a culinary wonderland, offering traditional fare like pandan waffles and pho.

The Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, is a 15-day festival that begins today, Jan. 29.