Chinese Lunar New Year

Join us for the beginning of the Year of the Rat

Kung Hey Fat Choi – that’s 'wishing you great wealth and prosperity', the traditional Chinese Lunar New Year's greeting! Thursday, February 7th is the first day of the Year of the Rat and the biggest celebration in the Chinese calendar – and on Sunday the 10th, we hope to see you in Trafalgar Square and Chinatown to ring in the Chinese Lunar New Year.

Starting with a parade from the Strand at 11am, central London is set to come alive with Chinese sights and sounds for the afternoon. Trafalgar Square is playing host to the main festival – a Chinese spectacular featuring dragons, musicians, artists, school children and acrobats from China and the UK – and you'll find celebrations and decorations throughout the bustling streets of Chinatown.

New Year Parade: Strand to Rupert Street, 11am-1pm
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New Year Festival: Trafalgar Square, 12pm-6pm
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Last year’s festival drew a crowd of 300,000 people from across the UK and worldwide – making London's celebrations one of the biggest New Year events outside Asia. This year, there's even more to celebrate; the Beijing Olympics and London 2012 are being incorporated into the festivities – and it's also the London festival's 30th anniversary. All in all, it's going to be quite a celebration.

New to Chinese Lunar New Year? Read all about it.