Lunar New Year begins February 17—here's what it celebrates, why dates shift, and what the Year of the Fire Horse means.

In 2026 the Lunar New Year, or Chinese New Year marks a transition from the year of the Wood Snake to the Year of the Fire Horse

The energy of the Fire Horse will be felt collectively. However, how we experience the energy of the pyro pony depends on our Chinese zodiac sign.

Chinese metaphysics consultant Vicki Iskandar tells PEOPLE exclusively about the Lunar Year's do's and don'ts

The Lunar New Year is welcomed with a variety of cultural traditions and rituals such as carnivals, parades, fireworks and ancestor remembrance.

Put down your brooms, cancel that hair appointment and hold your horses because Lunar New Year is here, ushering in the Year of the Fire Horse. And at Lan Su Chinese Garden, holding your horses is more than a figure of speech.

“Right after (midnight) on New Year’s Eve, fireworks will be launched to celebrate the coming of the New Year as well as to drive away evil,” the Wake Forest University museum said. “It is believed that the person who launches the first firework of the New Year will have good luck.”

From lion dances to red envelopes, local residents celebrate renewal and tradition as the lunar calendar turns to the Year of the Horse.