WHERE would the Chinese New Year be without food playing a part? When the Dragon Parade has run its colourful course it’s time to wield those chopsticks to some purpose.
2016 is the Year of the Monkey and Manchester Chinatown hosts a four day party to celebrate from Thursday, February 4 to Sunday, February 7. Throughout the festival, New Cathedral Street will host an Asian Street Food Village from 11am-7pm featuring some of the city’s most popular vendors – including The Hungry Gecko and Yo Sushi!. The festival’s main hub is in St. Ann’s Square with further food stalls from the likes of Yang Sing and Rice Bowl, a live music stage, and light shows in the evenings.
Elsewhere there’s a 50ft Giant Golden Dragon in Exchange Square, a Tsingtao Beer Ping Pong Bar on Cathedral Street, live street art by graffiti artists from Hong Kong and a major new exhibition at the NQ’s Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art and.
Thousands of red lanterns will decorate the shopping streets, while last year’s stunning New Year Light Show featuring a giant twisting snake and thousands of ascending lanterns will return to illuminate St Ann’s Church (6-9pm each day).
The festivities finish on the Sunday with the hugely popular street parade when from 1pm a 175ft dragon leads the way from Albert Square to Chinatown, accompanied by dancers, musicians, and acrobats, followed by a fireworks display at 6pm.
Taste of Manchester reckons the best way to toast in the New Year on that day is at the Yang Sing on Princess Street, who are offering a £40 a head five course Monkey King Lunch Banquet from 12pm. It includes a private Lion Dance, martial arts demonstration and a dance performance illuminating the Monkey King legend. Book via this link.
For the full listings go to www.chinesenewyearmcr.com