Manchester's Chinatown will come alive this weekend as the city begins to celebrate Chinese New Year. The colourful celebration marks the beginning on the new year on the traditional lunar calendar.
A packed programme of events will take place on Sunday, January 22, as the city marks the Year of the Rabbit. The celebrations will include the return of Manchester's legendary Dragon Parade for the first time in full in three years - including a traditional lion and ribbon dancers - plus lots of family friendly activities and events.
As well as the return of the bright red lanterns across the city centre shopping streets, there will be a week-long residency of traditional street food stalls, an a illuminated night dragon in Piccadilly Gardens, plus stalls and a funfair. Below you'll find all the major events, plus timings and road closures.
Dragon Parade
Dragons are a symbol of good luck, health and strength in Chinese culture, and dragon dances are performed at the start of the New Year as a means to chase away evil spirits and welcome in prosperous times.
Manchester's much-loved Dragon Parade, featuring a 175 ft long dragon, will depart from Manchester Central Convention Complex at 12 noon. The parade, which will also feature traditional lion and ribbon dances, Chinese opera perfumers and Zodiac animals, plus ancient army characters, will make its way to Chinatown via Mount Street, Peter Street, Oxford Street, Portland Street, Princess Street and Faulkner Street.
Dragon Parade Performance and Parade Times
- 12pm-12.30pm: Performances, Outside Manchester Central
- 12.30pm-1.15pm: Dragon Parade, Manchester Central to Chinatown
- 1.15pm: Dragon Parade, Arrives at Chinatown
- 1.15pm-1.45pm: Performances, Faulkner Street Car Park, Chinatown
All timings are approximate and are subject to change.
Chinatown events
Throughout the Sunday in Chinatown there will be performances of acrobatics, singing, poetry readings, dancing and kung fu from 12 noon to 7pm. There will also be lion dances, workshops and a fun fair.
There will be performances from the illuminated 'Night Dragon' in Chinatown at 5pm and 6pm on Sunday 22 January, and at 6pm on Sunday 29 January.
Chinese Market at Piccadilly Garden
Taking place from Saturday, January 21 until Saturday, January 29, Manchester's annual Chinese New Year celebrations will feature lots of stalls with a variety of food, drink and crafts on offer. The stalls are free to look around and will be open daily from 12-7pm within Piccadilly Gardens.
Red lanterns
Walk around the city centre this week and you'll notice the streets have been adorned with thousands of red lanterns to help welcome the Year of the Rabbit. Over many centuries, lanterns have become a staple in Chinese culture, particularly in times of celebration.
Different types of lanterns exist for many occasions, and each type has a unique meaning. In China, red represents wealth, fame, and prosperity, which is why festivals, weddings, and other celebrations often have a lot of red decorations and outfits. Most Chinese lanterns are red, and lanterns of this colour symbolize a prosperous business and a thriving life.
Central Library
Other venues celebrating the lunar new year in the city include Manchester Central Library, which is hosting a Chinese New Year Celebration for families from 12-4pm on Sunday 22 January with free crafts, Chinese performances, workshops and face painting.
Ducie Street Warehouse
The Northern Quarter spot will host four days of activities in the lounge, while the restaurant will be curating special dishes at the restaurant including Cantonese-style spring rolls with peanut and char dipping and sticky char sui pork belly bao with chilly and sesame.
Starting on Thursday, January 19, the popular Drink N Draw will return for a Chinese New Year edition hosted by Pete Obsolete in partnership with Overdrawn, and will invite guests to sip and stroke with Chinese-inspired materials and techniques. On Friday, January 20, the warehouse will host a traditional Lion Dance to celebrate Year of the Rabbit, which is free of charge for visitors to enjoy, and will run from 7.30-8pm.
Concluding the Chinese New Year celebration on Sunday, January 22, Manchester’s collective Floating Art will be hosting a Chinese Bamboo Brush Painting from 2pm until 4.30pm. The workshop will introduce the art form, as well as show some basic brushwork and painting techniques. The Chinese Bamboo Brush Painting is ticketed at £25.39 per person and tickets can be bought via the Ducie Street Warehouse website.
Manchester Art Gallery
There will be a number of activities for families to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit at Manchester Art Gallery on Sunday, January 22 from 10am until 5pm. Visitors are encouraged to pick up a sketch book and pencil from the Lion's Den and explore the gallery on the bunny themed trail - if you show your sketches to a member of staff in The Lion’s Den (Gallery 1) you can claim your free rabbit sticker.
Artists Tina Ramos Ekongo and Jasyon Gylen will also be in The Lion’s Den making rabbit themed crafts, while you can also decorate a cake with Chinese calligraphy with Sarah from Cook Stars.
Full list of road closures on Sunday January 22
Road closures will be in place from 11am to 3pm
- Windmill Street (Lower Mosley Street – Watson Street)
- Mount Street (Windmill Street – Alberts Square)
- Peter Street (Watson to Oxford Street)
- Oxford Street (Peter Street to Chepstow Street)
- Oxford Road (Oxford Street to Whitworth Street)
- Portland Street (Chepstow Street to Chorlton Street)
- Princess Street (Portland Street to Cooper Street). Timings subject to change.
Chinatown road closures
Road closures will be in place from 6am to 10pm
- Faulkner Street (Princess Street to New York Street)
- Reyner Street (Princess Street to Charlotte Street)
- St James’ Street (Princess Street to Charlotte Street)
- Charlotte Street (Portland Street to Mosley Street)
- George Street (Dickenson Street to New York Street)
- Chain Street (George Street to Faulkner Street)
- Back George Street (Dickenson Street to Charlotte Street)
- Nicholas Street (Portland Street to Mosley Street)
- Pine Street (Chain Street to New York Street)
Parking and Metrolink
Parking suspensions will be in place from 9pm on Saturday 21 January 2023.
If you are using the Metrolink to travel into the city centre, there won't be any suspensions to tram services, but there might be slight delays. From 12 noon until 1pm visitors should expect some congestion around St Peters Square, and the Dragon Parade will cross the tracks at St Peter's Square between 12:30pm and 12:40pm.
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