The festival is celebrated by several ethnic communities across the world, where it is known as Chunjie (Chinese), Seollal (Korean) and Tet (Vietnamese), among other names. In English, it is commonly referred to as Lunar New Year, after the lunisolar calendar that many of these communities traditionally follow.

To welcome the year of the snake, Tet Fest celebrates with authentic food, music and dances. From Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, the Mary Queen of Vietnam Church in the Village de L'Est of New Orleans East, the state's largest Vietnamese community, transforms into a culinary wonderland, offering traditional fare like pandan waffles and pho.

The Lunar New Year also is an important occasion for spending time with family and to pay respects to ancestors and older family members. Families will come together to practice c

Communities across the world begin celebrating Lunar New Year on Jan. 29 — and 2025 marks the Year of the Snake.