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.

The Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, is a 15-day festival that begins today, Jan. 29.

The Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, is a traditional Asian celebration that has been observed in for thousands of years. Every winter, Asian communities around the world ring in the Lunar New Year with carnivals, food, family gatherings, parades and more.

The Chinese zodiac corresponds to various years people were born, and each animal is believed to influence the lives of people born in that year. The Year of the Snake is seen as one of renewal and regeneration and aligns with people born in 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013 and 2025.

This ancient Chinese festival is a time to put everything from the previous year in the past and look forward to all that will come in the new year. For those who participate in this two-week celebration,

Many Chinese who work in bigger cities return home during the eight-day national holiday in what is described as the world's biggest annual movement of humanity.

Lunar New Year, celebrated by millions across the world, marks the transition into a new year with a variety of rich traditions and customs. In 2025, the festival will begin on January 29, heralding the Year of the Snake.