Pasadena Ushers in the Chinese New Year with Local Festivities

This Chinese New Year, Pasadena will celebrate the “Year of the Rat” with a handful of festive events honoring the holiday, starting Jan. 25. For more information about what to do, see and eat in Pasadena on this special day, see below.  

The Langham Huntington, Pasadena

To celebrate the Chinese New Year, the historic 4-star luxury hotel will offer Lunar New Year Afternoon Tea in the Lobby Lounge, Jan. 25-Feb. 8, featuring an assortment of sandwiches including tea-smoked deviled egg, sesame ginger shrimp, Chinese crab salad and crispy pork belly, scones with Devonshire cream, and desserts including yuzu meringue tart, matcha green tea donut, lychee layered gateau and toasted golden sesame seed mandarin macaron.

Guests may select from a variety of teas such as The Langham Blend, a sophisticated twist on a classic English Breakfast, and Palm Court Blend, an exclusive and unique blend of the finest quality Chinese white tea, hibiscus flowers, rosehip and pink rose petals.

Lunar New Year Afternoon Tea includes one glass of sparkling wine, and is available for $75 per person, excluding tax and gratuity.

In addition, Chuan Spa is offering treatments rooted in traditional Chinese medicine. Experience Gua Sha, Jan. 25-Feb. 8, which utilizes healing jade stone to nurture, heal and restore the skin through stimulation on important meridian points and increasing the flow of body circulation (1 hour, 15 minutes for $240, including 20% discount).  

For more information, and to make reservations click here.

USC Pacific Asia Museum Lunar New Year Festival – Jan. 25 at 11 a.m.

Join the museum for their annual Lunar New Year festival celebrating the “Year of the Rat.” Visiting guests will gain free admission to the galleries, performances, art making workshops, food trucks and more. 

For more information, click here. 

Caltech Chinese New Year Celebration ft. Wen Chen – Jan. 25 from 2:30-4 p.m.

Students, alumni and their guests are welcome to celebrate the Chinese New Year and learn about traditional Chinese attire from Caltech alumna Wen Chen (PhD ’00). The event will feature tea tasting, appetizers and a live performance of Chinese pipa music. 

• 2:30 p.m. – Tea tasting, appetizers and live Chinese pipa performance.
• 3 p.m. – Traditional Chinese attire (Wen Chen, PhD ’00).

For more information and to register, click here.

The Huntington’s Chinese New Year Festival – Feb. 1 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Celebrate the Lunar New Year at The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens as the “Year of the Rat” begins. Families can enjoy crowd-pleasing lion dancers, mask-changing performances, martial arts, Chinese music and dance, painting and calligraphy demonstrations, children’s activities and more. The festivities will take place in and around The Huntington’s beautiful Chinese Garden and other performance spaces. General admission required. 

For more information, click here. 

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