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Chinese New Year 2025: Where Families Can Watch The Lion or Dragon Dance

by Kevyn Gohu
January 27, 2025

Here are places you can watch the Lion Dance or Dragon Dance this Chinese New Year 2025!

To attract luck or fortune on Chinese New Year this 2025, malls or businesses would hire dancers to perform the Lion Dance or the Dragon Dance. While they make sound interchangeable, they’re actually two different performances. The more common one is the Lion Dance, usually needing four people to do the stunts (two for each lion) and around five to seven for the drums. But the dragon is usually a bigger performance, with at least ten people waving the dragon as it chases the ball, which symbolizes luck.

Kids will definitely enjoy the performance if they love bright colors and rhythmic sounds similar to the battle music in their video games. So, without further ado, here are some places that will be having the Lion Dance or Dragon Dance this Chinese New Year 2025:

Places That Will Host The Lion Dance or Dragon Dance This Chinese New Year 2025

1. Greenhills Mall and Promenade

Chinese New Year 2025 Dragon Dance at Greenhills Mall — Photo from Greenhills Mall

Considering the mall is in the heart of the Filipino-Chinese community, they’ll have both the Lion and Dragon dance. Although they performed last January 12, 2025, families can still catch up as they dance and celebrate on the actual date of Chinese New Year — January 29, 2025, at 10:00 AM.

2. Araneta

On both January 28 and 29, 2025, Araneta Coliseum will be hosting some lion dances and dragon dances along the halls of the mall. On January 28, 2025 (Tuesday), it’ll be from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM while on the actual Chinese New Year day, it’ll be from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

3. Lucky Chinatown Hotel

Of course, Binondo will have its own! As the home to many old Chinese families, the Lion and Dragon Dance will be held at the Lucky Chinatown Hotel. It’ll definitely be a grand performance but be sure to stay near one another as many families will be out to watch, crowding the streets. What some families do is they just park in the mall and then hoof it over to the performance area, watching while eating some freshly cooked Manju or Siomai.

4. Estancia Mall

Chinese New Year 2025 at Estancia Mall — Photo from Estancia PH

Chinese New Year 2025 at Estancia is a whole-day affair on January 29. Besides the traditional Lion and Dragon Dance, there’ll be some cultural Chinese dances that the kids can watch. If the kids love their Kung Fu movies or martial arts action films then, they’ll appreciate these as these dances were usually the origins of the arts.

5. Shangri-La Plaza

Shangri-La Plaza has a lot in store for Chinese New Year 2025. With the festivities kicking off on January 24, 2025, the event will eventually lead up to the dance and Chinese film festival starting on January 29, 2025. The Lion and Dragon Dance will be mall-wide with the performers travelling to different shops to shower luck and prosperity. But for those who want the full experience, the dance starts on January 28, 2025, with the traditional “eye-dotting” ceremony for the lion and dragon at the Streetscape and fireworks display.

6. Banawe Street

As home to many Chinese, the Quezon City LGU will be holding its own grand celebration for Chinese New Year 2025. The streets of Banawe (also popularly known as “Car Haven” to gearheads) have always been a home for many Chinese families, housing many Chinese restaurants just waiting to be explored. According to the LGU, this year’s Lion Dance and Dragon Dance performance will then be followed by a Streetdance competition where kids will get to perform.

Happy Chinese New Year 2025!

Assuming that the kids are okay with heavy bass and bright colors, the Lion Dance and Dragon Dance have always been the most exciting parts of Chinese New Year. Those who studied in Chinese schools may even recall that the lions would “eat” a bilao or tray of candy (or chocolate coins) before tossing some to the crowd. Others may even recall money (usually five peso coins since they were gold) — representing prosperity — being thrown instead!

The best part is — Chinese New Year is a public holiday! Meaning, the kids won’t have to worry about school and will have the whole day to experience the festivities to kick off the Lunar New Year.