Chinese New Year

About

10 years on from the Year of the Rat in 2008, the city of Liverpool will celebrate the year of the Dog with a kaleidoscope of culture, art, sights and sounds.

A three day celebration will take place across Liverpool's Chinatown; an area of Liverpool adorned by an iconic Chinese Arch, that was gifted to the city in 2010 by twin city, Shanghai; The largest outside of China itself.

Chinese New Year Breakdown

Friday 16 and Saturday 17 February

7pm 

Entertainment starts including Hung Gar Fu illuminated dragon and lion dance. 

Performances from Chinese and British students in traditional Chinese dress, inspired by the Warring State and Hip Hop. 

7.30pm - 8.30pm 

Jinewei's Legacy projection will be shown four times on a loop 

Sunday 18 February 

Parade times

11:45am - Dragon and Lion Parade begins starting at the Blackie - (1 Great George Street, L1 5EW)

12:15pm - Unicorn parade starts outside the Chung Wah supermarket (Nelson Street L1 5DN) 

Both parades will then meet at approximately 1pm in Great George Square (Adjacent to Nelson Street) where a firecracker display will take place. The two parades will then go onto take separate routes and finish at around 3.30pm. 

Great George Square Stage 11.30am - 6pm 

11.30am - Kwong Tam School of Tai Chi 

12:20pm - 1pm Flower Drums, Fan Tai Chi, Dance and Happy Dance! (Pagoda Arts)

1:05pm - 1:45pm Firecracker Display - Lucky Man, Dragon and Unicorn Parades

1:45pm - 2pm Martial Arts Demonstration (Liverpool Hung Gar Kung Fu Friendship Association)

2:05pm - 2:25pm Traditional Chinese Fan Dance & Cheogsam Costume Show (Wah Sing Community Centre Dancers)

2:35pm - 2:45pm Chinese Red Lantern Dance (Friendship Dancers)

2:50pm - 3:20pm 24 Festival Drums (Liverpool Guild of Students)

3:30pm - 4pm Chinese Fusion Dance Workshop - have a go! (Movema Dance)

4pm - 5pm A Showcase of traditional and contemporary music, dance and song by Chinese students (Everyman and Playhouse and Liverpool Confucius Institute)

5.30pm - 6pm Chinese Fusion Dance (Movema Dance & 24 Festival Drums, Liverpool Guild of Students) 

Chinese Arch/Nelson Street

6:30pm - Chinese New Year lumiere - Jingwei's Legacy

6:40pm - Pyrotechnic Display

6:45pm - Event close

Lighting up the Chinese Arch, the Black-E and The Arch, there will be projections, music and lighting, that together will tell the story of Liverpool's incredible Chinese history and culture.

Starting from the very beginning, when many Chinese sailors came to Liverpool as part of a new shipping line company, the displays will take spectators on a journey through to present day and beyond to the ambitious future of Liverpool's Chinese cultural ties.

Chinese New Year will be part of the 'China Dream' season, that sees Liverpool embrace contemporary Chinese arts and culture from February 2018 to October 2018.

China Dream will be inspire visitors with a programme including the wonder of the Terracotta Army at the World Museum the Moon Festival and Shanghai Film Festival.

But there's more, take a look at our 'China in Liverpool' blog that explores the city's links with our international neighbours China and sister city of Shanghai.