Move over January blues- a sensational New Year celebration is ready to sweep the streets of London once again! Following the firework display to welcome 2023 earlier this January- described by Sadiq Khan as the "best ever"- tourists and locals alike have been buzzing in anticipation of this year’s Lunar New Year festivities taking place today, January 22. Renowned across the city for hosting the largest celebration for the festival outside of Asia, the London Chinatown Chinese Association (LCCA) have created yet another electrifying performance to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit...
The first Chinese New Year originates millennia ago- many believing it to start with the Shang Dynasty- and is surrounded by hundreds of folk tales explaining its beginnings. Among the most popular is the Nian, where Chinese villagers would wear red and set off firecrackers to keep the ominous monster Nian at bay once every year. Warding off evil spirits is a prevalent theme in New Year’s celebrations even today- it's where the famous lion costume, representing strength and bravery, is thought to have stemmed from.
Although gaining its iconic main entrance gate in July 2016- one of London’s most photographed architectural marvels created by Chinese artisans- Chinatown's first New Year performances date back to 1985. While celebrations stretch across Leicester and Trafalgar Square today, they began with only a couple of streets and a few thousand people- a fraction of the 17 million visitors Chinatown sees annually nearly 30 years later. However, the jewel in the crown of the celebration remains the lion and dragon dances: on the days coming up to the New Year, crowds flock to Gerrard Street to catch a glimpse of the jaw-dropping costumes- performed by Shaolin Lion Dance Troupe in recent years.
Festivities for the New Year began at the start of the last Lunar Month in early January but will continue in Chinatown until the 23rd- from the Zodiac animals parading the pedestrianised streets to restaurants offering delicious traditional cuisine, there’s something for everyone! If you’re lucky, you might even see the lion ‘eating’ lettuce hung from the ceiling of a restaurant like Far East or Four Seasons, alongside a red envelope containing gratuity for the dancers- it’s a tradition that is said to give good luck and prosperity to the business!
But the festivities don’t just stop there- starting from Charing Cross Road, dozens of vibrant floats will travel across central London to mesmerise hundreds and thousands of visitors the morning of the 22nd. Tourist hotspots like Trafalgar Square and the West End will feature shows and performances including the Festival of Spring Parade, embracing the musical traditions of Lunar New Year with an impressive lineup of acts throughout the day. Although most of the celebrations take place on the 22nd across the city, certain spots around Chinatown will continue their celebrations up until February 5th, when lanterns will be strewn across the city to conclude the 15-day festival.
With parades becoming more and more impressive each Lunar New Year, it’s safe to say that 2023 will be no exception- it's no wonder the streets of Chinatown have been bustling since New Year’s Day! As locals begin to make way for the upcoming celebrations, all roads lead to a year of opportunity and optimism that are soon to come with the Year of the Rabbit!
