There’s a second chance to celebrate the New Year in Lancaster later this month – Chinese style.
From Thursday 26th – Sunday 29th January, traditional sights and sounds of China will bring the city alive as it hosts the Chinese New Year Festival.
This month’s event, celebrating the Year of the Rabbit, is organised by Lancaster University graduates, Percy Lee and Josh Leung who run Popber, a non-profitable social platform to help businesses in Lancaster. They are supported by a committee of Chinese students from Lancaster University.
Popber organised last year’s Chinese New Year Festival which brought crowds of people into Lancaster to watch the Chinese lion and dragon parade and vibrant performances.
“This festival is for everyone in Lancaster and this year it will be even bigger,” said Josh. “Lancaster is a great city with many people from different cultural backgrounds working and studying here. This festival helps to introduce and promote Chinese culture to people from different backgrounds.”
More than 500 Chinese lanterns will adorn city centre streets as an appetiser for the main events.
The festival begins in Thursday 26th January with a variety show at the Grand Theatre featuring Chinese kung fu, puppetry, music and dance. Joining professional performers on stage will be 30 current Chinese students or graduates from Lancaster University.
Tickets for the show, which starts at 7.00pm, are now on sale, available from the Grand Theatre, priced £10 adults, £8 students, £5 children.
Some Chinese students and graduates will also be taking part in the dragon parade, one of the highlights of the carnival which beguins at 12 noon on Sunday 29th January in Market Square and runs until 5.00pm.
The Chinese dragon will be joined by a Chinese lion and together they will parade around the city centre, mingling with shoppers.
Market Square will be the scene of an afternoon of kung fu, Chinese dance, music and magic by professional performers and local schoolchildren.
It’s also the venue for a variety of Chinese-themed stalls selling food, drink and other products. There’s a free photo booth to create your own souvenir of the day, and a Fai Chun writing workshop too.
St Nicholas Arcades will see festival action with a series of pop up performances taking place during the afternoon.
On 28th and 29th January, Lancaster City Museum hosts Chinese New Year family friendly papercut activities and will have a temporary exhibition upstairs celebrating Chinese culture which opens on 26th Janaury and runs until 12th February.
The festival is a non-profitable event and is funded by Lancaster University, Lancaster University Confucius Institute, Lancaster BID, the National Lottery Community Fund, St Nicholas Arcades, Lancaster District CVS and Lancaster City Council.
The origins of the Chinese New Year are steeped in legend, one of them that, thousands of years ago, a monster named Nian (“Year”) would attack villagers at the beginning of each new year. The monster was afraid of loud noises, bright lights, and the colour red, so those things were used to chase the beast away.
Celebrations to usher out the old year and bring forth the luck and prosperity of the new one, therefore, often include firecrackers, fireworks, and red clothes and decorations. Young people are given money in colourful red envelopes.
2023 is the Year of the Rabbit. Anyone born in 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011 or 2023 is likely to be quiet, elegant, kind, modest and responsible.
• For more information, visit lancasterchinesenewyear.com