This page lists the Chinese festivals 2028 with Western calendar dates, weekdays and the story behind each one. Chinese New Year 2028 falls early, on Wednesday, January 26, and begins the Year of the Monkey. 2028 also has a leap month in the Chinese calendar, which pushes the autumn festivals later than usual. A free printable 2028 calendar with every festival marked is ready below.
Chinese festivals 2028 at a glance
| Date | Day | Festival | Lunar date |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 26 | Wednesday | Lunar New Year (Spring Festival) | 1st day, 1st month |
| February 9 | Wednesday | Lantern Festival | 15th day, 1st month |
| April 4 | Tuesday | Qingming Festival (Tomb-Sweeping Day) | Solar term |
| May 28 | Sunday | Dragon Boat Festival | 5th day, 5th month |
| August 26 | Saturday | Qixi Festival | 7th day, 7th month |
| September 3 | Sunday | Ghost Festival (Zhongyuan) | 15th day, 7th month |
| October 3 | Tuesday | Mid-Autumn Festival | 15th day, 8th month |
| October 26 | Thursday | Double Ninth Festival | 9th day, 9th month |
| December 21 | Thursday | Winter Solstice (Dongzhi) | Solar term |
The lunar festivals move every year in the Western calendar, while Qingming and Dongzhi follow the sun and stay close to April 4 or 5 and December 21 or 22. The printable calendar marks the six main lunar festivals.
Free printable 2028 Chinese calendars
Download a ready-made 2028 calendar with the festivals marked: a year at a glance, all 12 months with a Monday start, January with Chinese New Year, and October with both the Mid-Autumn Festival and the Double Ninth Festival.
Chinese New Year 2028: the Year of the Monkey
Chinese New Year 2028 begins on Wednesday, January 26, one of the earliest dates possible, and the celebrations end with the Lantern Festival on February 9. The Monkey is the ninth animal of the zodiac, and 2028 is an Earth Monkey year. Monkey people are said to be clever, curious and full of energy. The last Monkey years were 2016 and 2004, and the next will be 2040.
The run-up starts in early January: Laba Festival, with its sweet eight-treasure porridge, falls on January 4, 2028, and Little New Year, the day for a big house clean, falls on January 19. The reunion dinner is on New Year’s Eve, Tuesday, January 25.
Lunar New Year 2028 customs
- Cleaning before, not after: sweeping on New Year’s Day is said to sweep the good luck away.
- Red decorations: lanterns, paper cuttings and the character fu, meaning good fortune, often hung upside down.
- Red envelopes: gifts of money for children, now often sent by phone.
- Greetings: “Xin nian kuai le” (Happy New Year) and “Gong xi fa cai” (wishing you prosperity).
- Monkey crafts: classrooms often make paper monkey masks and lanterns for the new zodiac year.
Lunar New Year 2028 is a public holiday in mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Vietnam, among other places, and is celebrated by communities around the world.
Mid-Autumn Festival 2028 and the leap month
The Mid-Autumn Festival 2028 is on Tuesday, October 3, much later than in 2027, because the Chinese calendar adds a leap fifth month in 2028. On the night of the full moon, families share mooncakes, light lanterns and tell the story of Chang’e and the Jade Rabbit on the moon. In mainland China, the festival falls close to National Day on October 1, so the two holidays are often joined into one long break. Wikipedia’s Mid-Autumn Festival article covers how it is celebrated in different countries.
Other Chinese festivals 2028
- Lantern Festival (February 9): lantern displays, riddles and tangyuan, sweet rice balls in soup.
- Qingming Festival (April 4): tomb-sweeping and spring outings with family.
- Dragon Boat Festival (May 28): boat races and zongzi in memory of the poet Qu Yuan.
- Qixi Festival (August 26): the love story of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl.
- Ghost Festival (September 3): offerings for ancestors and wandering spirits.
- Double Ninth Festival (October 26): hill walks, chrysanthemums and respect for older people.
- Winter Solstice (December 21): dumplings or tangyuan to mark the longest night.
Chinese festivals 2028 compared with 2027
| Festival | 2027 | 2028 |
|---|---|---|
| Lunar New Year | February 6 | January 26 |
| Dragon Boat Festival | June 9 | May 28 |
| Mid-Autumn Festival | September 15 | October 3 |
| Zodiac animal | Goat | Monkey |
Celebrating Chinese festivals 2028 at school and at home
Teachers can use the printable calendar to plan a festival a month. In January, make paper lanterns and red envelopes and learn about the Year of the Monkey. In May, hold a mini dragon boat race with paper boats in a water tray. In October, read the legend of Chang’e, draw the phases of the moon and taste mooncakes. At home, mark each festival on the family calendar, cook one traditional dish for it, and keep a photo or drawing as a record of the year. Older students can compare the Chinese festivals 2028 with festivals from other cultures that also follow the moon, such as Diwali, Hanukkah, Ramadan and Easter.
Print a 2028 calendar with these dates
The calendar maker below opens with the Chinese festivals for 2028 already marked. Switch between a year at a glance, one page per month or a single month; add your country’s public holidays on top, turn on moon phases, and download a free PDF for US Letter, A4 or A5.
Chinese festivals 2028: frequently asked questions
When is Chinese New Year 2028?
Wednesday, January 26, 2028. The reunion dinner is on the evening of Tuesday, January 25.
What is the zodiac animal for 2028?
The Monkey. 2028 is an Earth Monkey year.
When is the Mid-Autumn Festival 2028?
Tuesday, October 3, 2028.
Why is the Mid-Autumn Festival so late in 2028?
The Chinese calendar has a leap month in 2028, so the eighth lunar month starts later than usual.
When is the Lantern Festival 2028?
Wednesday, February 9, 2028.
Can I print the 2028 Chinese festivals calendar for free?
Yes. Every calendar on this page is free for home, school or community use.
More holiday calendars
- Chinese Festivals 2027 (the Year of the Goat)
- Hindu Festivals 2028, Islamic Holidays 2028, Jewish Holidays 2028 and Christian Holidays 2028
- US Federal Holidays 2028, UK Bank Holidays 2028, Canada Statutory Holidays 2028 and Australia Public Holidays 2028
- January 2028 calendar and October 2028 calendar
- 2028 calendar and all holiday calendars