Chester will celebrate the Chinese New Year of the Rooster on Saturday, January 28 with a parade of traditional music, lion and dragon dancing, firecrackers and cultural characters.
The God of Prosperity, The Emperor of Heaven and The Happy Buddha will take to the city streets on Saturday morning in an event delivered by the Wah Lei Chinese Association supported by the council. Preparations are already well under way with rehearsals involving travel far and wide to Chester.
The event begins at 10.45am on Eastgate Street and again at 11.30am on Bridge Street and will include a Tai Chi demonstration from the Ji Siu Tai Chi Chuan group based in Handbridge .
Councillor Louise Gittins, Cabinet Member for Communities and Wellbeing said:
“I would like to wish everyone a very happy year of the Rooster, please come along to Eastgate Street and Bridge Street for the annual celebrations including the spectacular firecracker finale.”
Mia Tan, Chair and Founder of the Wah Lei Chinese Association said:
“Members of ji Siu Tai Chi Chuan group based in Handbridge will be demonstrating sword skills and Tai Chi. The group led by Maria Yuen have been rehearsing for their performance. The tutors from our Saturday Mandarin school based at the University of Chester and volunteers are working hard to prepare and practice their performances for the festival celebrations in Chester. This year’s festival celebrates the commitment and hard work of the volunteers who have helped the group all year round. We are delighted to work in partnership with the council again to produce this colourful festival event.”
The Chinese New Year is the longest and most important celebration in the Chinese zodiac calendar and follows a 12-year cycle. Chinese legend states that The Emperor of Heaven asked all the animals to meet him on New Year’s Day and named a year after each of the twelve animals that came.
The Wah Lei Chinese Association is also supported by Cheshire, Halton and Warrington Race Equality Centre, the University of Chester, Chester Voluntary Action and the Slowboat Chinese Restaurant.
A celebration banquet is planned after the parade at the Slowboat restaurant on Frodsham Street at 12.30pm. This is a ticketed event. Please email info@wahlei.org for details and tickets.
