A dragon ball

10 lively Lunar New Year events to toast the Year of the Dragon in Houston

Radiant Nature Lantern Festival Tunnel Dragon Houston Botanic Garden

Radiant Nature's Lantern Festival tunnel at Houston Botanic Garden.

Photo courtesy of Houston First Corporation

The Lunar New Year officially starts on Saturday, February 10, ushering in the Year of the Dragon. Also known as Chinese New Year, the celebration marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Southeast Asians honor the occasion around the globe, and especially here in Houston, which boasts a vibrant community.

With that in mind, we've rounded up a list of vibrant, energetic celebrations and events all over the city,

Houston Botanic Gardens
(through February 25)
1 Botanic Ln.

The Houston Botanic Gardens dazzles with Radiant Nature, a dazzling and stunning immersive exhibition that takes inspiration from the Lunar New Year and showcasing many Chinese-inspired works. Produced by Tianyu Arts & Culture, more than 50 paper lanterns light up the collection across the garden, making it a breathtaking sight at night. Make sure to visit the Chinese pagoda and the enormous, 200-foot dragon.

Downtown
(Friday, February 9 through Sunday, February 11)
Various venues

Locals could hole up in a downtown hotel all weekend and never run out of things to do for Lunar New Year. Once downtown, check out a series of Lunar New Year celebrations to celebrate in the Year of the Dragon all weekend.

Lee's Golden Dragon's popular drummers will perform at downtown's Lunar New Year Festival + Night Market.Photo by Lee's Golden Dragon/courtesy of Downtown Houston

A big event awaits on Saturday, as Downtown Houston+ presents the Lunar New Year Festival & Night Market at Market Square Park. Free to the public, the event boasts a dynamic lineup, featuring live performances by the popular Lee’s Golden Dragon, We8 Dance Troop, and Unity Lion Dance. Along with dazzling performances, visitors can explore a night market with more than 30 local street food and art vendors. Don't miss an after party scheduled at Bravery Chef Hall.

Be sure to register at the Eventbrite page here to receive a commemorative 2024 red envelope filled with treats and trinkets from the neighborhood, while supplies last.

Lunar New Year Festival + Night Market dragon dancers The Lee's Golden Dragon dragon dancers at the Lunar New Year Festival.Photo by Lee's Golden Dragon/courtesy of Downtown Houston

Lunar New Year Food Festival at Conservatory Food Hall
(2 pm Saturday, February 10; 2 pm Sunday, February 11)
606 Dennis St.

Midtown’s Conservatory Food Hall is a groundbreaking collective of food artists that helps promote small businesses and sustainable food in Houston. Over two days, the chefs under their roof will be presenting a variety of dishes meant to highlight the wide cultural traditions across Asia. The hall will be filled with delicious smells from 15 different eateries and the music of DJ Traxion.

Phat Eatery
(7 pm Friday, February 9; 11:30 am Saturday, February 10; 11:30 am Sunday, February 11)
23119 Colonial Pkwy Suite B-2, Katy

Ushering in the New Year deserves a feast, and Phat Eatery in Katy has a special one prepared. The specialty family-style menu includes Yu Sheng “Prosperity Toss” (House-cured Scottish salmon, pickled carrot and cabbage, radish, sesame seed, plum sauce, cracker, sesame oil); smoked duck wrap (Roasted, house-smoked duck, Persian cucumber, scallion, roti wrap, cumin pineapple hoisin reduction); seared sea scallops; short ribs, and black sesame ice cream from HTX Nitro Creamery. Lion dancers will also be on hand.

Asia Society of Texas
(11 am to 4 pm, Saturday, February 10)
1370 Southmore Blvd.

Lunar New Year at Asia Society of Texas.Photo courtesy of Asia Society of Texas

As a local hallmark of all things Asian culture, Asia Society of Texas has an extensive itinerary planned to celebrate the Lunar New Year. In addition to the traditional dances, food, and crafts, they’re offering something called a Dragon Quest. Community organizers will take visitors on an educational journey across China, Vietnam, South Korea, and the Philippines learning about the history of various cultures through activities.

Lunar New Year dance performances at Asia Society of Texas.Photo courtesy of Asia Society of Texas

Visitors who complete the quest will receive a prize. Puppet making and good luck banners are some of the other crafts that will be on hand to try out.

Lunar New Year at the Chinese Community Center
(10 am to 4 pm Saturday, February 10)
9800 Town Park Dr. in Westchase

The annual event at the CCC has been going on for more than 20 years. Not only does it host the dragon and tiger dances that are so iconic to the Lunar New Year, the festival features traditional Asian crafts, arts, food, and other vendors. Learn Chinese calligraphy, origami, and more. It’s basically a miniature convention. Best of all, the event is totally free, including parking.

Children’s Museum of Houston
(11 am to 6 pm Saturday, February 10)
1500 Binz St.

To keep Lunar New Year completely kid-centric, the Children’s Museum has a wide range of activities for the day. Over in Junktion, visitors can make puppets and banners as well as moving dragon’s breath. The Houston Grand Opera will present an interactive storybook, and various dance troupes will perform. Kids will have a chance to take photos with some of the elaborate and colorful dancer costumes.

Lunar New Year children's museum houston Lunar New Year performances at Children’s Museum Houstton.Photo courtesy of Children’s Museum

Otaku Food Festival at Karbach Brewing Co.
(Noon to 10 pm Saturday, February 10; noon to 4 pm Sunday Feb. 11)
2023 Karbach St.

If you’re looking to celebrate the Lunar New Year with an anime twist, this is the festival for you. This free event is hosted across two days and contains more than 100 vendors. A number of them will be selling statues, DVDs, manga, and other anime culture items. There will also be a sumo competition. Food is the focus, everything from Asian street foods to baos and boba tea. Organizers encourage visitors to bring cash.

Lunar New Year at Discovery Green
(5 pm to 7 pm Sunday, February 11)
1500 McKinney St.

Lunar New Year at Discovery Green.Photo courtesy of Discovery Green

One of Houston’s most famous dragon dance teams will take the Anheuser-Busch Stage at Discovery Green. Since 1974, Lee’s Golden Dragon has captivated audiences across the south with their elaborate costumes and incredible drum corps. Discovery Green will also have local vendors of Asian food and crafts.

Music feature

Texas country star Cody Johnson's new album goes to 'Banks of Trinity'

Photo by Cameron Powell

Cody Johnson.

There's a moment at every Cody Johnson show where the Texas-born-and-bred country star asks the crowd, “How many of you tonight are watching me and this band live for the very first time?” he told The Associated Press. “And every night, I would say at least 80% of the crowd raises their hands.”

It's not the kind of reaction most veteran artists receive. “And I’m thinking, you know, 20 years is a long time to work for something. But when you see that … What’s the next 20 years look like?” he asks.

The rancher, rodeo competitor, and onetime prison guard started his two-decade career playing honky tonks and dive bars. That led to slow and steady growth for the country traditionalist, but in the last few years, something has shifted. He landed his fifth career No. 1 song with “The Fall.” He was named Entertainer of the Year at the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards, the show's highest honor. That was a month after he headlined Stagecoach Music Festival. For an artist with legions of fans, it looked like he was accessing new heights.

“I feel like I’m closing a book and I’m opening another one and it’s all blank pages,” he says of this period. “Let's get to the next chapter." On June 26, that new era began with the release of his latest album, Banks of the Trinity.

Traveling to the Banks of the Trinity
It hasn't been an easy road. Last fall, Johnson had to cancel a bunch of tour dates after upper respiratory and sinus infections caused a burst eardrum that required surgery — an intimidating medical procedure for anyone, but especially nerve-wracking for a musician. “I was scared,” he said simply. But “in a roundabout way, it’s one of the best things that’s ever happened to me.”

It forced him to take three months off, which allowed him to be home during the birth of his son. It also rejuvenated his approach in the studio. Before the incident, he thought the album was complete. It was not. The additional time resulted in the inclusion of a few songs that now feel inextricable from the record: “Thank Somebody Country,” “Take Me Back (Leave Me There),” “Cricket on a Hook,” and the resilient “I Have” among them.

“What a blessing to have that kind of song fall in your lap when you’re kind of up against the ropes,” he says of the latter. “I mean, we thought we had the record done. It wasn’t done.”

A title track with real resonance
At the heart of Banks of the Trinity is its title track, which recalls Eagles' cover of “Seven Bridges Road” meets bluegrass and Southern gospel.

Lyrically, it's an ode to Johnson's childhood. “I grew up on the banks of the Trinity [River.] Fishing for catfish, not so much out of pleasure or sport but for necessity to put food in the freezer. Deer season for me was not a trophy thing,” he said.

And while that track inspires a feeling of nostalgia within the listener, he doesn't consider this album a throwback collection. He says it's about showcasing his evolving sonic diversity.

"The rest of the album for me is a musical journey from track one to track 16,” he said. “There’s a little bit of a flavor for everybody. It does kind of hit Motown. It does kind of hit bluegrass. It does hit progressive country. It does it old country. It does a little rock here and there.”

It's the result of a new kind of freedom, one that is at least partially due to his recent accomplishments, including taking home the top prize at the ACM Awards.

“I just did the thing that I’ve aspired to do in my career my entire life,” he says. “A really good place is a really good way to describe where I am.”

And now that the album is out, he's ready to take a breather.

“I will be shirtless with no shoes on a beach at an undisclosed location,” he jokes about the days after record release. “'Cause I have already done all the prep work. I've been working on this album for two years. I’ve done all of the interviews. I’ve shook all the hands. Me and my wife and kids are gonna disappear for 10 days and I’m gonna become, I guess, every Kenny Chesney song ever.”

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