Tampa’s big Lunar New Year celebration happens this weekend

While most Tampa Bay residents celebrated the start of 2024 six weeks ago with flowing drinks and fireworks, hundreds—probably thousands—of folks with Chinese, Vietnamese, Laotian, Cambodian and Korean backgrounds welcome the Year of the Dragon at Lunar Year parties across Pinellas and Hillsborough counties this weekend.

Tampa-based nonprofit Suncoast Organization of Chinese Americans (SACA) has hosted its mutlicultural new year’s party at Water Works Park for the past few years, and each February the annual celebration seems bigger and better. Attendees can expect traditional Chinese lion and dragon dances, calligraphy artists, singing, performances on a variety of traditional musical instruments, a children’s activity area, dancing, martial arts and over 20 Asian food and drink vendors selling barbecue, boba tea, desserts, bao buns and more.

Non-food vendors will also be present slinging arts, crafts, red envelopes, and other typical New Year's souvenirs.

In previous years, the lines for food and drink options at this festival have gotten relatively long, so come equipped with backup snacks or lots of patience.

There’s no cover for the SACA Chinese New Year Celebration happening Saturday, Feb. 17 at Water Works Park (1701 N Highland Ave.) in Tampa.

While most churches, organizations and restaurants celebrated the Year of the Dragon last weekend, there's another Lunar New party happening at Armature Works on Saturday, Feb. 24, which features cultural performances and bites from Zukku Sushi, Ling’s Dumplings, and Han Hand Roll Bar.
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