Las Vegas Celebrates Lunar New Year with Lion Dancing

Traditional performances mark the Year of the Horse at the Forum Shops and other venues.

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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Las Vegas kicked off the Lunar New Year celebrations with traditional lion dancing performances by the Lohan School of Shaolin at the Forum Shops on the Strip. The local lion dance team put on multiple shows throughout the week, though a planned parade in Downtown Summerlin was postponed due to weather. The school has been performing in Las Vegas for over 30 years, sharing the cultural traditions of Southern Chinese lion dancing with both visitors and locals.

Why it matters

Lunar New Year celebrations are an important cultural tradition, especially in diverse cities like Las Vegas that have large Asian American populations. The lion dancing performances help share this cultural heritage and bring the community together to mark the new year.

The details

The Lohan School of Shaolin, which has been performing in Las Vegas for over 30 years, put on six shows this week alone at the Forum Shops and other venues. The local lion dance team was also scheduled to perform at the Lunar New Year Parade in Downtown Summerlin, but the parade was cancelled and postponed until Monday due to weather conditions. The school practices daily at its Chinatown location, preparing for its many traditional Chinese dragon dancing performances throughout the year.

  • The Lunar New Year celebrations took place on February 18, 2026.
  • The Lohan School of Shaolin will continue putting on shows through March 6, 2026, totaling about 50 performances.

The players

Lohan School of Shaolin

A local martial arts school that has been performing traditional Chinese lion dancing in Las Vegas for over 30 years.

Raul Baugh

The senior instructor at the Lohan School of Shaolin, who explained the significance of the Year of the Firehorse.

Lance Brazil

The sifu (teacher) of the Lohan School of Shaolin's lion dance team, which has grown exponentially over the years.

Cassandra DeMoss

The assistant director of marketing at the Forum Shops, where the lion dancing performances took place.

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What they’re saying

“The year of the firehorse means a few different things… it means if you're gonna be doing something at the beginning of the year… you're going to be continuing on… usually it's a fast year.”

— Raul Baugh, Senior Instructor, Lohan School of Shaolin (fox5vegas.com)

“So I've been here actually since 1999 practicing at the school of shaolin, and as far as our lion dance team has grown exponentially.”

— Lance Brazil, Sifu, Lohan School of Shaolin (fox5vegas.com)

“It's so like American... like everybody knows about it now, all walks of life are celebrating... it's not just one particular group anymore, and that's what kinda makes it special.”

— Lance Brazil, Sifu, Lohan School of Shaolin (fox5vegas.com)

“I think my favorite part is always seeing the families come together … the store blessings are great, but to see the crowds and everyone feed the red dragon their red envelopes and see the smile on their face is always a great moment.”

— Cassandra DeMoss, Assistant Director of Marketing, Forum Shops (fox5vegas.com)

What’s next

The Lohan School of Shaolin will continue putting on Lunar New Year lion dancing performances at various locations in Las Vegas through March 6, 2026.

The takeaway

Las Vegas' diverse community has embraced the Lunar New Year celebrations, with the traditional lion dancing performances drawing crowds of both visitors and locals who come together to experience this cultural tradition and usher in the new year.