Lunar New Year festival returns to Buford Highway after nearly 40 years

The Lunar New Year Festival organized by We Love Buford Highway will take place Feb. 21–22 on Buford Highway, marking nearly four decades of community celebration and featuring cultural performances, traditional arts, food vendors and lion and dragon dances.

The Lunar New Year Festival returns to Buford Highway on Feb. 21 and 22, marking nearly 40 years of community celebration. The event is organized by We Love Buford Highway and takes place along the region's diverse corridor. Organizers say the festival began within the local community and has grown into a public celebration of East and Southeast Asian traditions. This year's program highlights cultural performances, traditional arts, food vendors and a finale of lion and dragon dances. Key details: - Dates and location: The festival runs Feb. 21–22 along Buford Highway and is free and open to the public. - Organizer and support: The event is organized by We Love Buford Highway with support from the city of Chamblee and Discover Chamblee. - Program highlights: Scheduled activities include calligraphy demonstrations, storytelling, cultural exhibits, interactive experiences, and lion and dragon dances as the weekend finale. - Food and symbolism: Vendors will feature traditional dishes; reporting notes that dumplings are associated with wealth, noodles with longevity, fish with abundance, and green vegetables with prosperity. - Cultural context: Lunar New Year begins Feb. 17 and is observed over 15 days; this year marks the transition to the Year of the Fire Horse, a zodiac combination that appears once every 60 years. Summary: The festival continues a long-running local tradition that brings East and Southeast Asian cultural practices into public view on Buford Highway. It coincides with the start of Lunar New Year and the shift into the Year of the Fire Horse. The event will take place Feb. 21–22 and is presented as a community-centered celebration supported by local partners.