This year, Lunar New Year begins today, Wednesday, Jan. 29, and ends Feb. 12. Lunar New Year, also widely regarded as Chinese New Year since the late 19th century when it gained global recognition through Chinese immigrant communities, is a centuries-old tradition rooted in the lunar calendar.

The Lunar New Year marks the beginning of spring and the new year on something called the lunisolar calendar. That's a type of calendar historically used in China that uses the moon and the sun to determine dates.

Much of the world, and people in Western New York, celebrates Lunar New Year, which is Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025.

When is Lunar New Year 2025? This year, Lunar New Year begins Jan. 29. Because the lunar calendar is based on the phases of the moon, the beginning of the year happens on a differ