Lunar New Year at Houston Zoo🏮

Celebrate the Year of the Fire Horse at the Zoo’s first public Lunar New Year event! Join us Saturday and Sunday, February 14 and 15, for a weekend that reflects Houston’s cultural diversity, bringing families together through tradition, community, and unforgettable wildlife.

During this special weekend guests will be welcomed with themed Meet the Keeper Chats sponsored by CenterPoint Energy Foundations and dragon dancer performances while exploring the Zoo to learn more about Asian animals like the Malayan tiger, orangutans, and Asian elephants. In addition, guests are invited to participate in the Wishing Tree activity where they can share their hopes for animals and good wishes for wildlife in the year ahead. Often called the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year, Lunar New Year is the most important holiday in China and Chinese communities around the world. The holiday is also celebrated in South Korea, Tibet, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

In addition, guests are invited to participate in the Wishing Tree activity where they can share their hopes for animals and good wishes for wildlife in the year ahead. Often called the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year, Lunar New Year is the most important holiday in China and Chinese communities around the world. The holiday is also celebrated in South Korea, Tibet, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Guests will also have a chance to bring home a new plant during a  giveaway while supplies last. 

As part of the celebration, Houston Zoo is reaffirming its commitment to being a Zoo for All. The Zoo strives to create welcoming, inclusive experiences where every guest can explore, learn, and enjoy the connection to wildlife. This includes sensory-friendly resources to accessible programming; the Zoo works to ensure that the diversity of Houston is reflected and supported throughout the guest experience.

By visiting the Zoo during Lunar New Year weekend, guests are helping to save many Asian species in the wild, like Asian elephants and orangutans. A portion of each Zoo admission and membership goes to the Zoo’s conservation partners, Seratu Aatai and Hutan Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Project (KOCP). Seratu Aatai is protecting an estimated 250 wild elephants in Borneo and KOCP studies orangutans and provides training and education to staff and students. The Zoo also purchases trees for people in Borneo to replant to create forested paths for wildlife. By visiting and supporting Houston Zoo, guests are helping to replant more than 300,000 trees in Borneo to save Asian elephants and orangutans in the wild.  

Note: This event is included with general admission and is FREE for members.