Celebrate Black History Month and Lunar New Year in Boston This Weekend

From an Afrofuturistic fashion show to a Lunar New Year celebration at the Peabody Essex Museum, there's plenty to do in the city.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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This weekend in Boston, there are several events celebrating Black History Month and Lunar New Year. Highlights include a free roller skating night for young adults, an Afrofuturistic fashion show, a Lunar New Year celebration at the Peabody Essex Museum, and a touring opera production by the Boston Lyric Opera.

Why it matters

These events showcase the diversity and vibrant cultural offerings in Boston, providing opportunities for the community to come together and celebrate important observances like Black History Month and Lunar New Year.

The details

The Boston Center for Youth and Families is hosting a free roller skating night for young adults ages 17 and under at the Chez Vous Roller Skating Rink in Dorchester to celebrate Black History Month. The Multicultural Arts Center in Cambridge is holding an Afrofuturistic 'Cosmic Roots' fashion show and party featuring runway presentations, live dance, a vendor marketplace, and a live DJ. At the Peabody Essex Museum, visitors can enjoy a lion and dragon dance performance by Gund Kwok, decorate red envelopes for Lunar New Year, and tour the Yin Yu Tang historic house. The Boston Lyric Opera is also taking its production of 'Daughter of the Regiment' on tour to various Boston Public Library branches.

  • The roller skating event is from 5-8 p.m. on February 18, 2026.
  • The 'Cosmic Roots' fashion show and party is from 8-10 p.m. on February 18, 2026.
  • The Lunar New Year celebration at the Peabody Essex Museum is from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on February 18, 2026.
  • The Boston Lyric Opera's 'Daughter of the Regiment' tour will take place in various Boston neighborhoods before the mainstage production in April 2026.

The players

Boston Center for Youth and Families

A city agency that provides recreational, educational, and community programs for Boston's youth and families.

Chez Vous Roller Skating Rink

A roller skating rink located in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston.

Multicultural Arts Center

An arts organization in Cambridge, Massachusetts that celebrates diversity and promotes cross-cultural understanding through the arts.

Gund Kwok

The first Asian women's lion and dragon dance troupe in the United States.

Peabody Essex Museum

A museum in Salem, Massachusetts that focuses on art, culture, and history, including a historic 18th-century Chinese house on its campus.

Boston Lyric Opera

The largest opera company in New England, known for its mainstage productions and touring programs.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

The takeaway

This weekend's events in Boston showcase the city's vibrant cultural diversity and provide opportunities for the community to come together and celebrate important observances like Black History Month and Lunar New Year. From an Afrofuturistic fashion show to a Lunar New Year celebration at the Peabody Essex Museum, there's something for everyone to enjoy.