Inside 24 Suns’ 15-Day Lunar New Year Festival in Oceanside
24 Suns in Oceanside is turning Lunar New Year into a 15-day celebration that goes way beyond a single dinner. The festival treats the holiday as the first solar term of the year, with daily traditions, rituals, and menus tied to the Year of the Fire Horse – a symbol of energy, renewal, and momentum.
Instead of condensing everything into one night, Chef Nic is stretching the celebration across the entire traditional period, giving you multiple chances to experience different aspects of the holiday.
A 7-Course Tasting Menu and Shareable Traditions
Throughout all 15 days, you can experience a 7-course Lunar New Year tasting menu where every dish carries symbolic meaning around prosperity, longevity, and abundance. Shareable à la carte traditions are also available, including an 18-foot longevity noodle that’s meant to be enjoyed communally.
There’s also a playful bar ritual: the Red Lantern cocktail, which you can only unlock by solving a lantern riddle. The restaurant transforms throughout the festival with lanterns and red décor, making it one of San Diego County’s most distinctive Lunar New Year celebrations.
Five Key Days With Special Programming
While the celebration runs continuously for 15 days, five key days feature special programming that highlights different aspects of Lunar New Year traditions:
- Day One (February 17): A vegetable-only opening dinner in collaboration with The Plot and Chef Davin Waite, honoring the tradition of starting the year clean and peaceful with unadorned, sun-fed vegetables
- Day Seven (February 23): The Birthday of Humanity – every diner receives birthday cake soft serve and a candle
- Day Ten (February 26): A farm-driven menu with Fox Point Farms, celebrating the Earth Mother and local bounty
- Day Fifteen (March 3): The Lantern Festival, often called Chinese Valentine’s Day, complete with lantern riddles, red décor, and a romantic prix fixe
Each of these days offers a distinct experience tied to specific Lunar New Year customs, giving you reasons to return throughout the festival and explore different facets of the celebration.
Where Chinese Cuisine Meets Southern California Ingredients
24 Suns has built its reputation on seamlessly integrating the long traditions of Chinese cuisine with vibrant, farm-fresh ingredients from Southern California. The restaurant pays homage to the subtleties of nature, capturing the essence of each micro-season in ever-evolving menus.
This 15-day festival is a natural extension of that philosophy, taking the rhythms of the Lunar New Year calendar and expressing them through food, drink, and atmosphere.
See you there!
Most restaurants treat Lunar New Year as a one-night event, but 24 Suns is giving the holiday the time and attention it deserves by turning it into a living, evolving experience.
📆 February 17 – March 3, 2026
📍 3375 Mission Ave J, Oceanside
🎟️ Reserve your spot here
ℹ️ More info here
See you there, San Diego!
