Next: 21 Feb 2027
Lantern Festival and Chap Goh Mei
The 15th night of the new year, once a rare evening when young women could walk out and meet suitors under the lanterns.
When is Lantern Festival and Chap Goh Mei in 2027?
Lantern Festival and Chap Goh Mei 2027 is on Sunday, 21 February 2027. Other years: 2026, Tuesday, 3 March 2026; 2028, Wednesday, 9 February 2028.
About Lantern Festival and Chap Goh Mei
The Lantern Festival closes the Chinese New Year season on the first full moon. In imperial China unmarried girls were usually kept home, but on this night they were allowed to stroll with lanterns, and families used the crowds to arrange meetings. Riddles written on lanterns were an excuse for conversation. In Malaysia and Singapore the day is called Chap Goh Mei, and unmarried women throw mandarin oranges into the sea or a river, writing a name and number on them, in the hope of finding a husband. Fujian and Taiwan keep their own variants.
Lantern Festival and Chap Goh Mei dates: 2026, 2027, 2028
| Year | Lantern Festival and Chap Goh Mei date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Tuesday, 3 March 2026 |
| 2027 | Sunday, 21 February 2027 |
| 2028 | Wednesday, 9 February 2028 |
What is served
- tangyuan
- yuanxiao
- mandarin oranges
Also part of it, and being written: Lantern Festival (The festival of the first full moon.), Chap Goh Mei (The Southeast Asian courtship evening.), Lantern riddle (The riddles read at the lanterns.).
Written by the EveryShaadi desk with AI assistance. Background: "Lantern Festival" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.