[connatix_element_embed script_id=585cabedecb44bd6b2a11a3d7c833aeb player_id=7bc491b4-922b-4e8d-b1b1-150648e80442 video_id=f17dc515-01e8-4cfb-aa5b-44ed0fa0c569 align=right]It’s been more than a month since New Year’s revelers rang in 2024. But for the D.C. area’s Asian American communities, it’s time to bring out the rice cake, wrap some dumplings and hand out some red envelopes and ring in 4722 — the Year of the Dragon.

The Lunar New Year starts next Saturday, Feb. 10 — that’s when the Chinese lunar calendar begins. It’s the most important holiday in several East Asian countries, and is typically marked by a weeklong holiday and mass travel back home to reunite with family.

In the D.C. area, those who observe the holiday may not get a week off, but they celebrate in ways that preserve and honor their culture and traditions.