Lancaster Chinese New Year

Lancaster’s Chinese New Year Festival is set to be a roaring success as the city celebrates the Year of the Tiger.

Throughout January, the city centre streets will be festooned with traditional Chinese lanterns in preparation for the feast of indoor and outdoor entertainment taking place.  This year’s event theme is Reunion and Blessing.  

The Dukes cinema will kick off the entertainment on February 1-2 with special preview screenings of Master Cheng (PG) about overcoming grief and the meeting of two cultures. Further screenings of war drama, The Eight Hundred (15) take place on February 8-9. 

Over the main festival weekend, a New Year celebration show will take place on February 5 at the Grand Theatre featuring top class performances of kung fu, shadow puppetry, traditional Chinese music and dance. 

The entertainment moves outdoors on February 6 with a New Year Carnival and Market in and around Market Square.  The carnival begins at 10:00 when the Dragon and Lion Dance is performed around the city centre, ending at 16:00 in Market Square.  There will also be performances of traditional music, kung fu and a drum workshop.  Stalls will be dotted around the Square, some selling products and food reflecting Chinese culture.  A free photo booth and Fai Chun (Chinese calligraphy) writing workshop will take place.  City centre shops decorated on a Chinese New Year theme, will offer special promotions and discounts too.  

The origins of the Chinese New Year are steeped in legend.  One legend is 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.