The National Chinese New Year celebration in the Netherlands has been an important national and international event for 23 years. It always takes place at the end of January or the beginning of February each year, due to the difference between the Western and the Chinese calendars. On the occasion of the National Chinese New Year 2026 celebration, the Chinese associations in the Netherlands have organized a wonderful cultural performance and Chinese market in The Hague.
The “National Spring Festival” program includes a wide range of Asian/Chinese and Dutch cultural activities. This is the first time the Spring Festival celebration has been spread over several days. The National Spring Festival aims to create an annually recurring multi-day Spring Festival platform, based on more than twenty years of experience, including the New Year celebration in The Hague. The National Chinese New Year is the largest international/Asian/Chinese event in the Netherlands. The National Spring Festival forms the foundation for this and is therefore an important event that contributes to cooperation in the fields of culture, business, and tourism. In addition to culture, the week-long program offers many opportunities to network and make connections.
China Town The Hague, Saturday 21 February celebration of the Year of the Horse 2026
On Saturday 21 February 2026, the festivities begin with the National Spring Festival Chinese New Year in Chinatown The Hague. This spectacular event celebrates the start of the new year according to the Chinese calendar—a moment filled with happiness, prosperity, and tradition. According to the Chinese zodiac, 2026 is entirely dedicated to the horse.
Activities in Chinatown The Hague on 21 February
The festival will be festively opened at 12:30 on the Gedempte Burgwal, where new lions are brought to life according to centuries-old traditions. The ceremony is accompanied by an impressive drum show.
At 13:30, the Chinese lions and dragons, accompanied by music, will parade through Chinatown. The procession starts with loud fireworks at the Gedempte Burgwal and the Chinese Gate.
Afterwards, you can enjoy the colorful parade along the Gedempte Burgwal, Gedempte Gracht, Wagenstraat, St. Jacobstraat, and Rabbijn Maarsenplein until 18:00.
From 12:00 to 18:00, you can also admire a special exhibition featuring sculptures of the Chinese zodiac, located at Rabbijn Maarsenplein and the parking area near De Bijenkorf.
Since the beginning in 2002, Chinatown has consistently been one of the key co-organizers of all New Year activities. In 2026, the national celebration of the National Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) will take place from 14 to 21 February.
On Saturday 21 February, most of the Chinatown festivities will take place. Chinatown The Hague is an area where everyone—young and old—feels at home and safe, and where there is so much to experience, see, taste, feel, and discover.
Chinatown also takes part on Saturday 14 February at The Hague City Hall with a festive and varied program featuring Chinese lion dance, Chinese dance performances, and performances by well-known Chinese and Dutch artists.
The Chinese lion and dragon dance also plays an important role in Chinatown. The dragon is known as a symbol of higher ancestry and power; the lion symbolizes luck and prosperity. That is why Chinese New Year is always festively ushered in with a colorful dragon and lion dance parade, accompanied by lots of fireworks and, of course, a delicious Chinese feast for family, friends, and important relations.
It will once again be a series of wonderful events for young and old, with parades, Chinese lion dances, and especially the culinary highlights in the wonderful restaurants in Chinatown.
Program 21 February (subject to change)
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12:30 Festive opening at the Gedempte Burgwal, with an impressive
drum show and new lions being brought to life.
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13:30 – 18:30 Parade of Chinese lions and dragons, accompanied by music,
through Chinatown.
Fireworks at the Gedempte Burgwal and the Chinese Gate.
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12:00 to 18:00 Special exhibition of Chinese zodiac sculptures at
Rabbijn Maarsenplein
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12:00 Every day until closing time, enjoy the culinary highlights
in Chinatown’s wonderful restaurants.
Practical information
The Chinese New Year festival is free of charge for everyone. Please note that the streets in Chinatown are car-free all day. Coming by car? You can park in the Q-Park garage on Amsterdamse Veerkade or in the parking garage at Lutherse Burgwal 25.
History of Chinatown The Hague
In the 1970s, the municipality decided to renovate the neighborhood. More and more Chinese people subsequently settled there, and later it became known as “Chinatown.” The area has since become a cozy, lively multicultural neighborhood with hardworking entrepreneurs and residents, full of various toko shops, small eateries, restaurants, supermarkets, specialty stores, and shops.
The increased business activity and diversity of shops and restaurants not only attract entrepreneurs, but also visitors. Many people from the The Hague region and the city itself know how to find the good restaurants, toko shops, and specialty stores. Chinatown The Hague also attracts many visitors from the rest of the country. They often combine dining out with shopping. In addition, day-trippers come for festivals such as Chinese New Year. Foreign visitors also find their way to Chinatown The Hague more and more easily.
The BIZ Chinatown The Hague Foundation
Over the past decade, the entrepreneurs of Chinatown The Hague have joined forces and formed a BIZ (Business Investment Zone) that is officially supported by the Municipality of The Hague. The primary goals are to represent the interests of local entrepreneurs and to work together to position Chinatown The Hague as “the” Chinatown of the Netherlands. To achieve this, activities are jointly developed with the Municipality of The Hague to put the area firmly on the map—strengthening its unique charm and Asian appearance—and to contribute to the local economy and livability.
The BIZ Chinatown The Hague Foundation is an active advocate, cooperation partner, connector, and promoter. The board of BIZ Chinatown The Hague maintains close contacts with various parties, such as the municipality, police, residents’ associations, property owners, neighborhood organizations, and other BIZ associations, to achieve optimal cooperation, coordination, and advocacy for Chinatown The Hague.
The Chinese lion and dragon dance also plays an important role here. The dragon is known as a symbol of higher ancestry and power; the lion symbolizes luck and prosperity. That is why Chinese New Year is always festively ushered in with a colorful dragon and lion dance parade, accompanied by lots of fireworks and, of course, a delicious Chinese feast for family, friends, and important relations.
