The first new moon of the lunar calendar officially ushered in the new year in many cultures Wednesday, marking the imminent arrival of spring and the first day of the Year of the Snake, which symbolizes good luck, rebirth and regality.

Lunar New Year celebrations begin Wednesday. Here's everything to know about the 2025 Lunar New Year, the Year of the Snake.

Firecrackers, parades and prayers marked the Lunar New Year as millions around Asia and farther afield celebrated

Across the world, hundreds of millions of people are welcoming the Year of the Snake as they celebrate the Lunar New Year with fireworks, family time and festive dances. In north and Southeast Asia, from China to Indonesia,

How long are Lunar New Year festivities? What is the Chinese Zodiac? Here's what to know as the Year of the Snake celebrations begin in Stockton.

To welcome the year of the snake, Tet Fest celebrates with authentic food, music and dances. From Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, the Mary Queen of Vietnam Church in the Village de L'Est of New Orleans East, the state's largest Vietnamese community, transforms into a culinary wonderland, offering traditional fare like pandan waffles and pho.

Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year, begins on Jan. 29, 2025 and festivities typically last for 15 days.

Asian American communities around the U.S. and around the world are ringing in the Year of the Snake Wednesday, including in New York City. The Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese New Year or Spring Festival,

From Beijing to Hanoi and Moscow, the holiday — known as the Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam and Seollal in Korea — is a major festival celebrated by diaspora communities around the world. Wednesday marks the start of the Year of the Snake, one of 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac.