Manchester is going all out this weekend to welcome in the Year of the Horse and to celebrate Lunar New Year.
With activities happening across the city centre, including a special Lunar New Year market, free activities for families at Manchester Central Library and Manchester Art Gallery, and of course the traditional Chinese New Year celebrations in Chinatown including its stunning dragon parade.
Manchester is going all out this weekend to welcome in the Year of the Horse and to celebrate Lunar New Year with activities happening across the city centre, including a special Lunar New Year market, free activities for families at Manchester Central Library and Manchester Art Gallery, and of course the traditional Chinese New Year celebrations in Chinatown including its stunning dragon parade.
Manchester Central Library is throwing open its doors for the weekend, opening on both Saturday and Sunday with a host of activities for children and families throughout the weekend as the library welcomes in the Year of the Horse in epic fashion. Families are invited to join in with a host of hands-on cultural activities and fun learning experiences across the weekend, plus music and traditional dance performances – details below:
Saturday 14 Feb (12 noon – 4 pm)
Families, children, schools, and community members are warmly invited to join us for performances, hands-on cultural activities, and fun learning experiences provided by Bowen Education, Chinese Music Classroom at Chetham’s School of Music, Confucius Institute, Manchester Chinese Centre, and more!
12 – 12:15pm: Short live performance
12 – 4pm: Crafts Free arts and crafts workshops for children including:Children’s artwork displaySpecial exhibition of student creations for Chinese New YearHanfu photo booth
Try on traditional Chinese costumes and take photos
Chinese calligraphy station – have your name written in Chinese brush calligraphy
Sunday 15 Feb (11 am – 4 pm)
11 – 11:30am (on St Peter’s Square): Lion dance performance!
11:30am: Central Library doors open
Central Library Performance Space (Ground Floor)
12 – 1:30pm: Stage performances by local schools and community groups – including dance, music, and other creative interpretations of Chinese culture and traditions
2 – 4pm: Performances and Workshops for Children with Manchester Chinese Centre
Central Library Ground Floor (near café)
12 – 4:00pm Cake decorating with Sarah Cook Stars
Central Library Lower Ground Floor
12 – 4pm: Family Craft Workshops with Central Library, Manchester Chinese Centre and Chinese Music Classroom at Chetham’s School of Music
Celebrate the Year of the Horse with local artists Caroline Coates, Mandy Cleveland, and friends! Expect lantern making, paper horses, and much, much more.
12 – 2pm: Bracelet making with Confucius Institute
2 – 4pm: Crafts
Free arts and crafts workshops for children
Children’s artwork display
- Special exhibition of student creations for Chinese New Year
- Hanfu photo booth
- Try on traditional Chinese costumes and take photos
- Chinese calligraphy station – have your name written in Chinese brush calligraphy.
The library is also offering a quiet space away from the crowds from 11:30 am – 4 pm in the first floor Music Library, for anyone who needs it.
Over at Manchester Art Gallery everyone is invited on Saturday and Sunday to celebrate the Year of the Horse with a fun, creative family drawing trail. Pick up a sketchbook and pencil, then set off to explore the gallery on a special horse-themed trail.
Track down a series of colourful posters, enjoy creative drawing activities inspired by our art collection, and bring the trail to life with your own drawings. Show your sketches to a staff member at the end to claim your reward! The art gallery will be open between 11 am and 3 pm on both days.
Market lovers also won’t want to miss the fantastic Hong Kong Lunar New Year Market which returns to the city on 14–15 February, transforming Market Street, Exchange Square and New Cathedral Street into a vibrant celebration of Hong Kong culture.
Now in its third year, the free, family-friendly event features 130+ stalls, 20+ live performances, community-made decorations and games, Hong Kong independent short film screenings, and free guided tours for newcomers and first-time visitors.
Highlights include Cantonese opera, Chinese instrumental music, dance and band performances, lion dances with a traditional eye-dotting ceremony, Hong Kong film–themed game stalls, and a large bamboo wishing installation where visitors can share New Year blessings.
The market is free to attend and takes place on both Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 February.
And of course Lunar New Year in Manchester wouldn’t be complete without the traditional Chinese New Year celebrations in the city’s Chinatown, including the spectacular Dragon Parade through the city streets.
Councillor John Hacking, Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure, Manchester City Council, said: “There’s loads of stuff going on across the city centre this weekend as Manchester gets set to welcome in the Year of the Horse. It promises to be a fabulous weekend with loads of different cultural activities for everyone to enjoy. Don’t miss it!”
In order to facilitate this weekend’s festivities a number of toad closures and parking bay suspensions will be necessary- details below.
LIST OF ROAD CLOSURES
The annual Chinese New Year Dragon Parade will take place in the city centre from Oxford Street to Chinatown, with further celebrations in the car park and the surrounding streets of Chinatown.
Chinatown closures for Saturday and Sunday
5am, 14 February to 11.59pm 15 February:
Nicholas Street (Portland Street to George Street)St James Street (Princess Street to Nicholas Street)Faulkner Street (Princess Street to Charlotte Street)Chinatown closures for Sunday5am to 11.59pm, 15 February:
Reyner Street (Princess Street to Charlotte Street)Charlotte Street (Portland Street to Mosley Street)George Street (Princess Street to New York Street)Chain Street (George Street to Faulkner Street)Back George Street (Dickenson Street to Charlotte Street)Pine Street (Chain Street to New York Street)
Parade route closures
10am to 3pm, 15 February:
Peter Street (Mount Street to Lower Mosley Street) soft closure at the junction of Peter Street / Deansgate. Access for residents and businesses only.Oxford Street (Peter Street to Whitworth Street West)Portland Street (Chepstow Street to Chorlton Street)Princess Street (Major Street to Cooper Street)George Street (Oxford Street to Princess Street)St James Street (Oxford Street to Princess Street)Back George Street (Dickinson Street to Princess Street)Faulkner Street (Princess Street to Novotel Hotel Entrance/ End of Faulkner Street)Dickinson Street (Back George Street to Portland Street and Portland Street to Linley House/end of Dickinson Street)Bale Street (Hall Street to Lower Mosley Street)Hall Street (Bale Street to Oxford Street)Soft Closure inbound at Whitworth Street / Princess Street, Whitworth Street/ Sackville Street and Whitworth Street / Chorlton Street junctions. No through traffic. Access to residents, businesses and buses only. Reverse of the one way at Major Street (Princess Street to Sackville Street)
Parking suspensions
China Town car park 0.01am, Saturday 14 February to 3am, Monday 16 February
China Town Car Park (All Bays) Parking suspensions for Chinatown0.01am, 13 February to 11.59pm, 15 February
George Street (New York Street to Dickinson Street) Nicholas Street (Portland Street to Mosley Street) Faulkner Street (New York Street to Princess Street) Charlotte Street (Portland Street to Mosley Street)Chain Street (George Street to Faulkner Street)Pine Street (Chain Street to New York Street)Parade route 8pm, 14 February to 4pm, 15 February
Peter Street (Mount Street to Lower Mosley Street) Mount Street (Windmill Street to Peter Street)Oxford Street (Lower Mosley Street to Whitworth Street West) Hall Street (Oxford Street to Bale Street) George Street (Oxford Street to Charlotte Street) Back George Street (Dickinson to Princess Street)St James Street (Oxford Street to Charlotte Street)Chepstow Street (Oxford Street to Great Bridgewater Street)Portland Street (Chepstow Street to New York Street)Dickinson Street (Back George Street to Portland Street and Portland Street to Linley House/end of Dickinson Street) Princess Street (Major Street to Cooper Street) Sackville Street (Major Street to Portland Street)Abingdon Street (Major Street to Portland Street)Faulkner Street (Mercure Hotel to Princess Street)Bale Street (Hall Street to Lower Mosley Street)
Suspensions include all pay and display bays, accessible parking bays and taxi ranks.
Accessible bay relocations
On Saturday, 14 February
Accessible parking to be relocated to Fountain Street (Booth Street to York Street)
On Sunday, 15 February
Accessible parking to be relocated to Fountain Street (Booth Street to York Street) and Mount Street (Windmill Street to Albert Square)
Metrolink
15 February
Between 12 noon and 1pm there will be congestion around St Peter’s Square due to an increased number of pedestrians. Passengers are advised to expect delays.
For more information about activities in Chinatown and the Dragon Parade visit fcamuk.org