2024 Argyle Lunar New Year Celebration

Argyle Lunar New Year Celebration
Saturday, February 17th, 2024
10:00am - 4:00pm
Parade kick-off at 1:00pm - Argyle & Winthrop

Join Uptown United and the local business, non-profit, and cultural organizations on Argyle Street in 2024 as we continue the annual tradition going back 40+ years of celebrating the Lunar New Year along the Argyle commercial corridor in Uptown! To welcome the Year of the Dragon, we’ll be hosting the Lunar New Year Parade on Saturday February 17th (kick-off at 1:00pm sharp at Argyle & Winthrop) featuring 20+ local community groups, cultural institutions, dancers and performers! In addition, a number of local organizations are planning pop-ups with family-friendly activities between 10:00am-4:00pm. Full details below.

If you would like to support this free event, along with our other free Uptown community events throughout the year, by making a tax-deductible donation to Uptown United, please click here!

Since the 70's, Uptown has celebrated the start of the new Lunar Year with celebrations, programming, food, and art along Argyle St. Join us for a number of celebrations in 2024 welcoming the Year of the Dragon!

2024 LUNAR NEW YEAR - SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

Lunar New Year Stories and Crafts
Saturday, February 17th, 10:00 a.m. –11:00 a.m.
Bezazian Branch Library, 1226 W. Ainslie Street
Free

Welcome the Lunar New Year with a special story time and craft in advance of the annual Uptown parade. Celebrate the Year of the Dragon at the library with Lunar New Year-themed stories, songs, and a simple craft. For children 2 to 6 with their caregivers. Even if you can't make the 10:00am story time, children of all ages are welcome to drop in later with their families to make a dragon craft at any time on February 17th during open hours.

Sound Bath & Wishing Tree
Saturday, February 17th, 11:00 a.m. –12:30 p.m. (sessions begin every 15 minutes)
Qideas, 1134 W. Argyle St.
Free

Come join us on February 17 for a Sound Bath event to kick off the Lunar New Year Parade. Nicole Eng, of Westerly Wellbeing, will be inviting guests to engage in a short guided mediation with sounds and vibrational frequencies. There will be an opportunity to write and hang personal wishes and intentions to our wishing tree in the shop. We are excited to kick off our collaboration with Haibayo and invite you into our newly renovated space.

FAT MIILK GRAND OPENING WEEKEND
Saturday, February 17 - Sunday, February 18, 2024
10am - 4pm, 5018 N. Broadway

It’s a double celebration! We invite you to ring in Lunar New Year with us and be part of our official Uptown grand opening weekend! Get a special curated gift if you’re the first 88 people in line on opening day. Plus, we’re giving away special promos and surprises in lucky FAT MIILK red envelopes all weekend. Don’t miss this!

CMAA's Lunar New Year Celebration
Saturday, February 17th, 10:00 a.m. –11:00 a.m.
Truman College, 1145 W. Wilson
Free with RSVP here. Space is limited.

Chinese Mutual Aid Association (CMAA) is hosting their annual Lunar New Year celebration at Truman College preceding the Argyle Lunar New Year Parade! Lunar New Year is a traditional holiday celebrated by millions of people around the world. CMAA would love for you to join us in our festivities, including live cultural performances by CMAA youth, raffle prizes and complimentary food. Around 400 CMAA clients and staff will be in attendance, joined by leaders of the community including 20 local/state/federal elected officials and foreign diplomats who support CMAA’s mission of helping low income immigrants and refugees throughout the Chicagoland area. Celebrate with CMAA as they celebrate the Year of the Dragon!

VietFive Coffee Pop-up
Saturday, February 17th, 11:00 a.m. –2:00 p.m.
First Sip Cafe, 1057 W. Argyle
FREE

We will be introducing our first ever collab roast with Argyle’s own @supdawk “Chú Hải Coffee” at @firstsipcafe. Come try out this unique Vietnamese Robusta roast for FREE!

South-East Asia Center - Lunar New Year Celebration
Saturday, February 17th, 11:30 a.m.
Furama Restaurant, 4936 N Broadway, 2nd floor
$35 per person

Dignitaries will attend to wish New Year. Dinner & Multicultural Entertainment. $35/person. To purchase, please contact South-East Asia Center, 5120 N Broadway 2nd Floor, 773-803-5008, so@se-asiacenter.net

TimeLine Theatre - Year of the Dragon Exhibit
Saturday, February 17th, 12:00pm - 4:00pm
CMAA, 1016 W. Argyle St.
FREE

Join TimeLine Theatre at the CMAA for a journey through the historical highlights of past years of the Dragon - with dramaturgy by Irene Hsiao, Resident Artist at the Heritage Museum of Asian Art - and reflect on the upcoming Lunar New Year through the lens of the past. While you peruse the exhibit, visitors of all ages can join in our community art project – a dragon of our own creation - for collective intention-setting. Plus, learn more about TimeLine’s future new home in Uptown! Envisioned as far more than a theatre, this new neighborhood facility will be a welcoming gathering space for entertainment, education, and community engagement.

ARGYLE LUNAR NEW YEAR PARADE!
Saturday, February 17th, 1:00pm - 1:45pm
Free

Kicks off at corner of Argyle & Winthrop. The parade will head west on Argyle, north on Broadway, east on Winona, and south on Sheridan back to Argyle. Parade Route Map

Post-Parade Performances
Saturday, February 17th, 1:45 - 2:30pm
Corner of Argyle & Winthrop (outdoor stage)
Free

Join us at the intersection of Argyle & Winthrop once the parade ends for performances by local groups including the CMAA youth dancers (lion & lotus), Swift Elementary, and the Hoang Phuc Lion Dance Association.

SUPPORT LOCAL ARGYLE BUSINESSES
Looking for a business to support on Argyle? Starting Thursday, February 15th, you can stop by one of these businesses to pick up a free Lucky Envelope with a complimentary Year of the Dragon sticker, PLUS….inside just a few of these envelopes will also be a Lucky Golden Ticket good for a special gift from the Uptown Chamber including Uptown mugs and gift cards to local businesses. Limited quantity of lucky envelopes available per business.

Vietnamese Association of Illinois - Lunar New Year Celebration!
Saturday, February 24th, 6:00- 9:30pm
Furama Restaurant, 4936 North Broadway
Tickets: $25 - $50 - click here

Please join the Vietnamese Association of Illinois as they bring in the new year together with dinner, dancing, prize raffles, performances, and more! They will also be honoring community members who made a significant impact in 2023, and wishing good luck for the year ahead. Live DJ, cash bar and family activities will also be featured. Contact Anjali Misra at anjali.misra@hnvi.org if you'd like to sponsor the event or donate tickets. Or, purchase your tickets now!

Self-guided Argyle Art Walk
Anytime - Free
CLICK HERE for an interactive map to explore works of public art around Uptown including a number of murals along/near the Argyle commercial corridor!

HOW-TO-GUIDE
Check out our 2024 Argyle Lunar New Year Guide with everything you need to know about this year's celebration!

UPTOWN FOOD GUIDE
To celebrate the rich culinary offerings of this neighborhood, Uptown United & the Uptown Chamber of Commerce have published a Food Guide to highlight the many unique dishes and restaurants that have established Uptown as a diverse, vibrant, thriving, and strong Chicago neighborhood. Uptown Food Guide

Big thanks to the following organizations who have helped to plan this year's event: Apna Ghar, Bezazian Library, Celebrate Argyle, CTA, Chinese Mutual Aid Association, Goudy Elementary, Haibayo, Hip Sing Association, Hoang Phuc Lion Dance Association, McCutcheon Elementary, Miss Asian Chicago, Peirce Service Organization, South-East Asia Center, Swift Elementary, TimeLine Theatre, and the Vietnamese Association of Illinois. Special thanks to our local elected officials for their support: 48th Ward Alderwoman Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth, 46th Ward Alderwoman Angela Clay, State Representative Hoan Huynh, and State Senator Mike Simmons.

Thank you to our Event Sponsors:

VIP Sponsors: