Kung Hei Fat Choi!

300,000 people turn out to celebrate Chinese New Year in London

More than 300,000 people are estimated to have celebrated London's Chinese New Year celebrations – the biggest in the world outside Asia - as Chinatown marked the start of the Year of the Rat on Sunday, February 10th.

A two-hour parade through the West End kicked off the festivities, with people lining the streets to watch the colourful procession of lions, dragons and dancers make its way through Chinatown’s streets. In Trafalgar Square, displays of acrobatics, martial arts, opera and Chinese dance thrilled audiences throughout the day, while Leicester Square played host to an hourly firework and firecracker display.

Organised by the London Chinatown Chinese Association, the celebrations were described by Mayor of London Ken Livingstone as one of the highlights of London’s calendar.

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