Chinese New Year, Lancashire Style: Lancaster marks 5th anniversary with spectacular festival

More than 5,000 visitors are expected to attend the celebrations, welcoming the Year of the Horse. Festival highlights include a cultural variety show and a street carnival. Around 600 red Chinese lanterns – symbols of good fortune and blessing – along with festive banners will decorate the city’s streets for a month.

While Manchester and Liverpool are known for large-scale Chinese New Year celebrations, Lancaster’s festival shows that ambitious, internationally focused cultural events can thrive in smaller northern cities.

Josh Leung, from organisers, Popber, said: “Lancaster Chinese New Year Festival 2026 aims to bring new energy and happiness to the community at the beginning of the year. The Year of the Horse itself is associated with energy, creativity, bravery, enthusiasm, and independence. Since we began we’ve received an outpouring of positive feedback and experienced many touching moments. Celebrating our fifth year is a major milestone.”

The cultural variety show will be held on Saturday 31 January at Lancaster Grand Theatre from 7.30pm. Highlights include Shaolin Kung Fu masters, Kunqu performances by Chloe Sun, the Youth Chinese Orchestra, professional dancers, and unique musical pieces blending tradition and originality.

“We’re bringing even more of what audiences love: more tradition, surprise and togetherness. Expect new arrangements, beautiful costumes and staging that brings you closer to the action,” said Josh. Tickets available now from Lancaster Grand box office. 

On Sunday 8 February the free family-friendly carnival and market take place in and around Lancaster Market Square, 10am – 6pm. The official festival opening ceremony is at 12 noon on the Market Square plinth, followed by a colourful, lively Dragon and Lions street parade.

At the carnival visitors can try workshops like calligraphy, Chinese traditional opera face mask painting and they can wear traditional costumes. There will be Chinese dance, instrumental music, singing and a Kungfu demonstration and drumming by Lancaster-based Batala.

Special guests include the Mayor of Lancaster, Councillor Margaret Pattison, and Lancaster City Council leader, Caroline Jackson and representatives from Lancaster University.

“Lancaster has a vibrant Chinese community, including international students at the university. The festival promotes diversity and is open to all. Each year, the cultural show is packed out and the free street carnival draws thousands, making it one of the region’s top events,” says Josh, a Lancaster University graduate and founding member of the festival team, one of the youngest organising committees in the country.

The free carnival is a non-profit event. It and the festival overall are supported by funding from a number of bodies. They include Arts Council England, the National Lottery Community Fund, Lancaster University, Lancaster University Confucius Institute, Lancaster BID and Lancashire County Council and Hainan Airlines.

Josh said: “We’d like to thank St Nicholas Arcades for their support and everyone who contributed to our crowdfunding campaign. Also Lancaster City Council and Totally Local Lancaster have been helpful to us.”

Popber, a Community Interest Company, was set up to help businesses in the city and supported by Chinese students from Lancaster University. Led by a young organising team with strong links to both the local community and Lancaster University, the festival reflects a compact city that is outward-looking, culturally confident and that’s reshaping what a northern city can be.

See https://www.lancasterchinesenewyear.com/  Cultural Variety Show Tickets available now from the Lancaster Grand Theatre box office and online from its website.