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World

Vibrant festivities kick off the Year of the Dog

People around the world are celebrating the Lunar New Year with festivals, parades and temple visits to ask for blessings.

/ 32 PHOTOS
Image: Chinese Lunar New Year in Beijing

Beijing

Folk artists perform a fire dragon dance during a performance to celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year in Beijing on Feb. 18, 2018. 

This year marks the year of the dog, one of the 12 animals in the Chinese astrological chart. People celebrated with family feasts and visits to bustling temple fairs amid the mid-winter chill.

Jason Lee / Reuters
Image: Lunar New Year in Nepal

Kathmandu

A masked dancer from the Sherpa community performs during celebrations in Kathmandu, Nepal on Feb. 18. 

Skanda Gautam via Zuma / Zuma Press
Image: Lunar New Year in London

London

Crowds watch a Flying Lion Dance troupe performance in London's Trafalgar Square on Feb. 18. 

Justin Tallis / AFP - Getty Images
Image: Chinese New Year in London

London

A woman walks with giant pandas during festivities in London's Chinatown on Feb. 18. 

Brais G. Rouco / Sopa Images - Zuma
Image: Lunar New Year Beijing

Beijing

Artists in Peking Opera style costumes wait to perform in Beijing's Longtan Park on Feb. 19. 

Roman Pilipey / EPA
Image: HONG KONG-LUNAR-NEW YEAR

Hong Kong

People touch a statue of a lion for good luck as they leave the Wong Tai Sin temple during Lunar New Year celebrations in Hong Kong on Feb. 17.

 

Vivek Prakash / AFP - Getty Images
Image: The Chinese Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival

Beijing

A Chinese woman looks at ribbons on a wishing tree at Badachu Park in Beijing on Feb. 17.

Roman Pilipey / EPA
Image: Lunar New Year celebrations in Glasgow

Glasgow

A women takes a photo during Lunar New Year celebrations at Glasgow City Chambers on Feb. 18.

Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images
Image: CHINA-LUNAR-NEW YEAR

Hangzhou

A child is hoisted up to try and touch characters to bring luck for the New Year during a visit to Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou, in eastern China's Zhejiang Province on Feb. 17.

Johannes Eisele / AFP - Getty Images
Image: TOPSHOT-CHINA-LUNAR-NEW-YEAR

Beijing

A girl touches a lantern attached to a tree at the Ditan park in Beijing on Feb. 17.

Nicolas Asfouri / AFP - Getty Images
Image: TOPSHOT-CHINA-LUNAR-NEW YEAR

Hancheng

A Chinese woman dressed in a traditional bride costume poses during a wedding performance as part of the She Huo festival in Hancheng, Shaanxi province, on Feb. 16.

She Huo festival, celebrated in the northwestern China, is a festival dedicated to the gods of earth and fire. "She" literally means "God of Earth" and huo means "God of Fire."

Fred Dufor / AFP - Getty Images
Image: Chinese New Year celebrations

Yangon

Dragon dancers march with people in Chinatown in Yangon, Myanmar on Feb. 16.

Lynn Bo Bo / EPA
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Kolkata

A man, right, looks on as a woman and her children watch a lion dance procession in Kolkata, India on Feb. 16.

Bikas Das / AP
Image: Pet lovers display their dogs wearing Chinese cheongsams in Metro Manila

Manila

Pet lovers display their dogs wearing Chinese cheongsams during Year of the Dog celebrations in Manila, Philippines on Feb. 16.

Romeo Ranoco / Reuters
Image: New York's Chinatown Marks First Day Of The Lunar New Year

New York

Children hold American and Chinese flags during a firecracker ceremony and cultural festival in the Chinatown neighborhood of New York on Feb. 16.

Drew Angerer / Getty Images
Image: The Chinese Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, performance rehearsal at Ditan Park

Beijing

Chinese performers dressed in traditional costumes walk during a rehearsal of a reenactment of a Qing dynasty imperial sacrifice ritual to worship the Earth, at Ditan Park in Beijing on Feb. 15.

Roman Pilipey / EPA
Image:

Los Angeles

A man prays at an altar at the Thien Hau Temple in the Chinatown section of Los Angeles on Feb. 16.

Richard Vogel / AP
Image: New York's Chinatown Marks First Day Of The Lunar New Year

New York

Dancers perform during a cultural festival in the Chinatown neighborhood of New York City on Feb. 16.

Drew Angerer / Getty Images
Image: CHINA-LUNAR-NEW YEAR

Hancheng

A Chinese man dressed with a traditional costume poses during a wedding performance as part of the She Huo festival in Hancheng, Shaanxi province, on Feb. 16.

Fred Dufor / AFP - Getty Images
Image: Giant panda cubs play with decorations during Chinese Lunar New Year of Dog in Wolong

Wolong

Giant panda cubs play with Lunar New Year decorations at Shenshuping Panda Base in Wolong, Sichuan province, China on Feb. 14.

CSN / via Reuters
Image: TOPSHOT-MALAYSIA-LUNAR-NEW YEAR

Kuala Lumpur

Malaysian-Chinese devotees arrive to offer prayers at the Thean Hou temple decorated with red lanterns in Kuala Lumpur on Feb. 15.

Manan Vatsayana / AFP - Getty Images
Image: CHINA-LUNAR-NEW YEAR

Shanghai

People pray with incense sticks to celebrate the Lunar New Year at the Longhua temple in Shanghai on Feb. 15.

Johannes Eisele / AFP - Getty Images
Image: Chinese Lunar New Year Celebrations

Jakarta

A woman releases birds, which is believed to bring good luck, as she celebrates the Lunar New Year at Dharma Sakti temple in Jakarta, Indonesia on Feb. 16.

Mast Irham / EPA
Image: The Chinese Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, performance rehearsal at Ditan Park

Beijing

Chinese performers dressed in traditional costumes perform during a rehearsal of a reenactment of a Qing dynasty imperial sacrifice ritual to worship the Earth, at Ditan Park in Beijing on Feb. 15.

Roman Pilipey / EPA
Image: INDONESIA-LUNAR-NEW YEAR

Surabaya

A Chinese-Indonesian man prays on the eve of the Lunar New Year in Surabaya, East Java province on Feb. 16.

Juni Kriswanto / AFP - Getty Images
Image: Folk artists perform a fire dragon dance under a shower of sparks from molten iron, ahead of the Chinese Lunar New Year, in Shangqiu

Shangqiu

Folk artists perform a fire dragon dance under a shower of sparks from molten iron in Shangqiu, Henan province, China on Feb. 14.

CSN / via Reuters
Image: Ken wears traditional clothing to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year of the Dog in Manhattan's Chinatown in New York

New York

A man wears traditional clothing to celebrate the Lunar New Year in the Chinatown neighborhood of New York on Feb. 16.

Gabriela Bhaskar / Reuters
Image: New York's Chinatown Marks First Day Of The Lunar New Year

New York

A family pops confetti during a cultural festival in the Chinatown neighborhood of New York on Feb. 16.

Drew Angerer / Getty Images
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San Francisco

A dragon procession dances over firecracker wrappers during a Lunar New Year parade on Feb. 16 in San Francisco.

Eric Risberg / AP
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Madrid

Young dancers perform on stage during celebrations of the Lunar New Year in Madrid on Feb. 16.

Francisco Seco / AP
Image: TOPSHOT-MALAYSIA-LUNAR-NEW YEAR

Kuala Lumpur

People offers prayers and burn incense for good luck on the first day of the Lunar New Year at Sin Sze Si Ya Temple in Kuala Lumpur's popular Chinatown area on Feb. 16.

Manan Vatsyayana / AFP - Getty Images
Image: PANAMA-CHINA-LUNAR-NEW YEAR

Panama City

People carry a traditional Chinese New Year costume in Panama City on Feb. 16.

Rodrigo Arangua / AFP - Getty Images
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