Celebrate the Year of the Dragon with our guide to Dubai's Chinese New Year 2024 events and activities
5 January 2024
| Last updated on 6 February 2024Coming in hot is the Year of the Dragon!
This year, Chinese Year 2024 will fall on Saturday February 10, with Dubai to see a host of exciting activities and dining specials to celebrate the festivities.
Out of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs, the dragon symbolises power, luck, as well as nobility, and it is also viewed as an auspicious year (or a year that brings in "good fortune").
Here's a round-up of exciting things to do in Dubai for Chinese New Year 2024!
1.) Global Village Dubai
Celebrate the Year of the Dragon at Dubai's favourite annual leisure, shopping, dining, and entertainment destination! Head to the massive China Pavilion to shop a range of unique cultural souvenirs, Chinese fashion, and try local snacks.
No confirmation yet on Global Village's Chinese New Year 2024 events, but we'll be updating this page when more info is announced.
2.) Dragon Mart
Ring in Chinese New Year 2024 in Dubai at Dragon Mart, with a wide range of entertainment and celebrations from February 2 to 11, including a lion dance, Peking Opera performance, dragon head lantern-making workshop, dragon kung fu dance, and more!
Dragon Head Lantern-Making Workshop
Visitors can participate in the dragon head lantern-making workshop where they'll learn about age-old lantern crafting techniques mixed with contemporary modern designs.
When: February 2 to 11, from 12PM until 8PM
Big Dragon Dance
For the Lunar New Year, watch a spectacular Big Dragon Dance, a symbolic performance believed to drive away evil spirits and bring good luck. Watch on as skilled performers, adorned in vibrant traditional attire and accompanied by the sounds of thunderous drums, breathe life into an enormous mythical dragon.
When: February 3, 6, and 8, from 3PM until 7:15PM
Lion Dance
Symbolising power, superiority and wisdom, the Chinese Lion Dance is believed to bring good fortune and drive out evil.
When: February 2, 5, and 11, from 3PM until 7:15PM
Dragon Kung Fu Dance
Performed by skilled acrobats and trained Kung Fu professionals, you won't want to miss the the Dragon Kung Fu Dance! Watch an impressive display of martial discipline and cultural heritage, accompanied by traditional Chinese music.
When: February 6, 8, and 9, from 3PM until 7:45PM
Peking Opera Show
When: February 8 February, 9, and 10, from 3PM until 7:45PM
Umbrella Dance
A popular folk dance from the Han Dynasty, the Umbrella Dance originates from a district in China known for making umbrellas. Performed with silk umbrellas, said to represent honour and wealth, Dragon Mart invites visitors to enjoy this heritage-rich performance live multiple times throughout the week in celebration of Chinese New Year 2024 in Dubai!
When: February 2, 4, and 5, from 3PM until 7:45PM
3.) Celebrate Lunar New Year in Dubai with a Mooncake
Although mooncakes tend to be more commonly associated with the Chinese mid-autumn festival, this traditional treat can also be enjoyed during the Chinese Lunar New Year.
4.) Live lion dance performances at Jumeirah Mina A’Salam
From February 9 to 10, Jumeirah Mina A’Salam will be hosting live lion dance performances in celebration of Chinese New Year 2024 in Dubai.
5.) Chinese New Year 2024 at Legoland Dubai
Legoland Dubai will be celebrating the Year of the Dragon from February 9 to 18 with an exciting range of activities. The family-fun destination will be decorated with hundreds of lanterns for Chinese New Year 2024, perfect for snapping photos with. Visitors can also enjoy the daily parade, the Chinese New Year Sleepover event, and tuck into a limited-time Chinese New Year-inspired buffet.
SEE ALSO: 2024 Guide to Dubai's Best Family Theme Parks & Water Parks
Skip the queue! Book your Legoland Dubai tickets online.
6.) Chinese New Year 2024 at Sui Mui
Playful pan-Asian restaurant Sui Mui welcomes you to celebrate Chinese New Year from 11th to 15th February. Revel in the Chinese New Year 2024 celebrations from 11th January as the Sui Mui team prepares a lavish spread of traditional dishes inspired by the flavourful streets of China, including an exciting live performance to mark CNY!
Expect a wide selection of starters including crispy prawn fruit salad, crispy prawns on toast, Cantonese taro dumplings. The main course station will offer culinary delights like Guangzhou fried rice, Hong Kong beef, and much more all served with taste-budding sauces. To finish things off, there will be stuffed black sesame dumplings and sticky rice with toppings.
The packages are priced at AED 195 on soft beverage package and AED 265 for the alcohol package.
7.) Ring in the Year of the Dragon at Long Yin
Get ready for the Year of the Dragon in Dubai at the Chinese restaurant, Long Yin, on Friday 9th February from 7PM. Feast on a buffet that will take you on a journey through China’s culinary legacy, while enjoying a spectacular live dragon performance!
Experience the art of traditional Chinese cuisine mastery, with Chef George preparing his take on homemade, authentic stir-fried noodles in front of the crowd. With different live cooking and barbeque stations spread
on the promenade terrace, you can expect an array of traditional dishes freshly served, with the highlight being the crispy duck.
The packages are priced at AED 425 for the house beverages package and AED 325 for the soft beverage package
Editor's Note: Keep an eye on this page as we'll be updating it with more CNY activities as they're announced.