Chinese New Year celebrations in Leicester get underway

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-Credit:Ken and Anna Vong


The Chinese New Year celebrations have kicked off this afternoon (Sunday, February 2) with a lion dance at De Montfort University attended by hundreds of people. It will be followed by a procession through Leicester city centre and end with a firework display in Town Hall Square later this evening.

Two dancers in the lion costume jumped around to the rhythm of drums, cymbals and other percussion, with the massive red lion blinking its big eyes and spitting out lettuce and glitter. After the dance, the crowds moved off to other parts of the city centre to catch the procession as it passed along the shopping streets from Jubilee Square to the Town Hall.

The procession involved dragons, the dancing lion, Buddhas and other characters as it weaved through the streets, with children being handed envelopes of chocolate coins.

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Ken and Anna Vong and their two grandchildren, from Thorpe Astley, were among the hundreds watching the lion dance outside the campus food village. Anna said: "It's very good and very interesting - it brings back memories.

Ken and Anna Vong with their grandchildren -Credit:Tom Mack/Leicester Mercury
Ken and Anna Vong with their grandchildren -Credit:Tom Mack/Leicester Mercury

"We'll be following the procession into the city. The children are loving it."

Ken said: "Our grandchildren have been before and they really enjoy it."

Lisa and Jonathan Pedley, of Leicester Forest East, were there with their two young daughters, aged two and five. Lisa said: "It's just brilliant to be here and see a bit more of the culture in Leicester.

"We've been here for eight years but with Covid and having children there's lots we haven't done yet. It's really impressive and it's a nice sunny day for it, too."

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Jonathan added: "It's a nice, diverse city and there's lots going on."

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The event marks the beginning of the Year of the Snake -Credit:Tom Mack/Leicester Mercury

The performers at the events are from the Chinese Martial Arts Society in Leicester and the day has been organised by Cosmopolitan Arts. Operations associate Laura Fowler from Cosmopolitan Arts said: "The Chinese community in Leicester lost their community centre in 2013 and Amanda Leandro, who runs Cosmopolitan Arts, decided to set up this event.

"The streets are always filled from side to side during the procession and everyone brings their kids along."