Details of Liverpool's Chinese New Year celebrations have been revealed, with Chinatown set to become home to a festival of colour and sound as it welcomes the Year of the Rabbit.
Taking place on Sunday, January 22, the free celebrations will include the traditional dragon, lion and unicorn parades. There will also be firecracker displays, family workshops, tai chi demonstrations, live music, a fairground and a selection of food and craft stalls.
Additionally, Culture Liverpool has commissioned a number of new cultural pieces which will complement the celebrations on the run up to the day. The pieces are all free and will include a stunning fire finale, courtesy of Liverpool-based group Bring The Fire.
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A projection show will light up the Bombed-Out Church from Friday, January 20 to Sunday, January 22. Created by Focal Studios, in partnership with artists Eleonora Asparuhova and Laura Sullivan, a six minute show called The Lunar Rabbit will be projected on the tower inside the grounds.
There will also be three specially designed Chinese New Year rabbit lanterns, standing 1.5 metres high, which will take pride of place near the Chinese Arch, created by local artist Becky Bryson.
Starting from Monday, January 9, thousands of Chinese lanterns will adorn the city centre streets around Chinatown and Liverpool ONE. Then, from Friday, January 20 to Sunday, January 22, a number of buildings including Sefton Park Palm House, Cunard Building, Royal Liver Building, Liverpool Town Hall and St George's Hall will be illuminated in red, signifying good fortune and joy to everyone.
Chinese New Year celebrations will take place in and around the Great George Square area from 11am to 5pm on January 22. More information can be found on the Culture Liverpool website.
Councillor Harry Doyle, Cabinet Member for Culture and Visitor Economy, said: "Our Chinese New Year event is always hugely popular and I love seeing thousands of people come together in celebration of our much-loved Chinese community. The day is always a real spectacle, with a whole host of family-friendly activities which are free, or are low-cost - so it's a great, inclusive way to get people involved."
Ming Wang, secretary of Liverpool Chinese Business Association, added: "As we say goodbye to the Year of the Tiger, we are coming to the Year of the Rabbit.
"Our local Chinese community, Culture Liverpool and other organisations have worked tirelessly together to arrange a series of arts and cultural events for everyone to enjoy. It is guaranteed fun, filled with plenty of activities for children and adults to enjoy. Please come and join the celebrations.
Programme details for Sunday, January 22 at Great George Square
- 12-12.15pm - DJ Yeti
- 12.15-1pm - Pagoda Arts – Flower Drums, Fan Tai Chi, Dance and Happy Dance
- 1-1.40pm - Firecracker Display – Lucky Man, Dragon and Unicorn Parades
- 1.40-1.50pm - Liverpool Hung Gar Kung Fu Friendship Association – Martial Arts Demonstration
- 1.50-1.55pm - DJ Yeti
- 1.55-2.15pm - Wah Sing Chinese Community Centre Dancers – Traditional Chinese Dance and Song
- 2.15-2.20pm - Friendship Dancers Moonlight Waltz
- 2.20-2.45pm - Tian and LIMF Academy (in association with Pagoda Arts)
- 2.50-2.55pm - Wirral Chinese Cultural Association: Classical Dance – Dream in Flowers
- 2.55-3pm - North East Wales Chinese Women’s Association – Traditional Chinese Dance
- 3-3.10pm - Movema Dance – Silk
- 3.15-3.20pm - UK Phoenix Qipao Chinese Cultural and Art Association – The Big Fan Dance ‘WanJiang’ and The Silk Scarf QiPao show ‘The Picture Scroll of Love’
- 3.25-3.30pm - Friendship Dancers – Beautiful River (Chinese Line Dance)
- 3.45-4.10pm - Tian & LIMF Academy (in association with Pagoda Arts)
- 4.15-4.25pm - Movema Dance – Silk
- 4.30-4.55pm - Bring the Fire Project
Full list of buildings lighting up for Chinese New Year
- Liverpool Town Hall
- St George's Hall
- Cunard Building
- St Nicholas Parish Church
- Sefton Park Palm House
- World Museum Liverpool
- Martin Luther King Building
- Royal Liver Building
- Steve Prescott Bridge, St Helens
- Liverpool ONE
- Atkinson Arts Centre, Southport
- Southport Town Hall
- Greystone Bridge/M62
- Mersey Gateway
- Wallasey Town Hall
- Hamilton Square Gardens
- Liverpool Central Library
- Toxteth Library
- Merseyside Police Headquarters
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