Chinese New Year's Feast 2024 - Year of the Dragon

Rome's Chinese New Year celebrations, which this year take place on 17 and 18 February, will be held, as usual, in the Nicola Calipari Gardens in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, in the rione Esquilino, amidst art, traditions, shows, and numerous gazebos with authentic Chinese culinary delights to be enjoyed.

On 17 February, from noon to 6 p.m., the Nicola Calipari Gardens will feature cultural and culinary performances and insights into Chinese culture, its philosophy and the history of the dragon as a distinctive symbol of 2024.

The peak of the celebrations will be reached on 18 February with a rich programme of events starting at 11 a.m. in Piazza Vittorio at the height of Via Conte Verde with the traditional parade of dragons and lion dances, which crosses Viale Manzoni and Via Principe Eugenio, and ends at 12.30 p.m. again in Piazza Vittorio.

The ceremony will start at 1 p.m. with the greetings of the Chinese Ambassador and the President of the Chinese Youth Association in Italy, Xu, followed by the projection of a video of the Chinese New Year celebrations, the tasting of Chinese dishes and the exploration of the gazebos dedicated to Chinese culture to connect with the Chinese community in Rome. The event will conclude at 7 p.m.

Each year is marked by a 'sign' to which twelve animals correspond: the Mouse, the Ox, the Tiger, the Rabbit, the Dragon, the Snake, the Horse, the Goat, the Monkey, the Rooster, the Dog and the Pig. According to Chinese astrology, the peculiar characteristics of each of these animals also considerably influence the character traits of people born under their sign.

Since 10 February, we have officially entered the fifth sign of the Chinese zodiac, the Dragon, a mythological animal symbol of strength, vitality, harmony, luck and wisdom, also associated with rain and water, emblems of prosperity and abundance.

2025, will be the year of the Snake, 2026 that of the Horse, followed by the Goat, the Monkey and the Rooster.