Member Article

Liverpool galloping into Chinese New Year

2014 marks the Year of the Horse and Liverpool’s Chinese New Year celebrations will take place in spectacular style across the weekend of the 1 and 2 February.

The events are expected to attract thousands of extra visitors into the city, and especially into the traditional Chinatown area. Hotels, restaurants, retailers and crafts-people are all looking foward to the opportunities the event will create.

Activities will start off at 11am on Saturday (1 February) with lantern making workshops at FACT for all the family, and the creative results go on display in a special installation at St Luke’s Church.

At 3pm, there will be a rare chance to see Europe’s largest Chinese orchestra, the Pagoda Chinese Youth Orchestra, rehearse as part of a special open day.

Lark Lane Community Association (located at the old police station on Lark Lane) will see dance, music and Tai-Chi performances taking place from midday, and The Garden at FACT will host a traditional Chinese tea experience from 10.30am to 6.30pm.

The celebrations will be in full-swing on Sunday (2 February) from 11am with the family friendly fun fair and the popular Chinese market on Great George Street selling gifts, souvenirs and mouth-watering food. At 11.30am the dragon, unicorn and lion parades will get underway in Chinatown, culminating at 1pm in a spectacular fire cracker display in Great George Square starring the ‘Lucky Man’ who will be handing out red envelopes to children.

Liverpool City Council’s Assistant Mayor and Cabinet Member for Culture and Tourism, Councillor Wendy Simon, said: “Liverpool excels when it comes to celebrating Chinese New Year. Each year thousands of visitors are always overwhelmed by the spectacle they are greeted with as the city celebrates its Chinese roots and community.

“It’s wonderful to see so many organisations work together to put on this memorable event, which grows in popularity year on year.

“There’s a whole host of events taking place across the weekend and beyond offering lots of family friendly activities which are either free, or cost very little – so it’s a great way for everyone to get involved in marking this special event.”

Some activities taking place across the weekend are:

Saturday 1 February:

11am-4pm - Lantern Making Workshops, FACT, £2 per lantern

Midday onwards - Chinese New Year Celebration workshops, Lark Lane Community Association, free of charge

3pm - Pagoda Chinese Youth Orchestra rehearsals, Pagoda Chinese Community Centre

Sunday 2 February

11-4pm – Performances in Great George Square

11am – Join in and dace with Movema – just wear red! The Black-E, £1 per person

11am-4pm – Static Gallery Indoor Market, Static Gallery

11.30am-3.30pm – Traditional Chinese Lion, Dragon & Unicorn Dance, Nelson and Berry Street

12-4pm – Chinese Dragon puppets workshop, FACT, free of charge

12-4pm – Urban Strawberry Lunch decoration making session, St Luke’s Church, free of charge

1pm – Firecracker displayer, Great George Square

2-4pm – Wah Sing Singing and Dance Group, Wah Sing Community Centre

3.30pm – Chinese New Year performances, Pagoda Chinese Community Centre

The event is organised by the 2014 Liverpool Chinatown Chinese New Year Co-ordinating Committee in partnership with Liverpool City Council.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .