Lunar New Year in Birmingham 2023: Year of the Rabbit to be celebrated at Bullring, Grand Central & Arcadian

Chinese New Year celebrations are returning to Birmingham city centre at Bullring & Grand Central Hippodrome Square to mark Year of the Rabbit - what to expect, full programme here
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For the first time in three years Birmingham’s popular Chinese New Year celebrations are set to return to the city centre - and they have been rebranded to Lunar New Year to reflect the event being celebrated across far east Asia.

Dragon dances, music, delicious food and more will be on offer as one of the city’s key festivals makes a welcome return to Southside, including The Arcadian and newly developed Hippodrome Square.

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The free dancing and performances will also be featured at Bullring & Grand Central for a spectacular weekend of fun on Saturday and Sunday January 21 & 22.

Birmingham Hippodrome and Chinese Festival Committee Birmingham have made the exciting announcement outlining the plans for the city’s Lunar New Year celebrations.

What to expect at Lunar New Year celebrations in Birmingham

Festivities will begin on Saturday 21 January with a full day of free performances and activities in partnership with Bullring & Grand Central.

The much-loved lion procession will kick start the celebrations at midday. Shoppers will then be treated to traditional singing, dancing and music, high energy drum performances, Shaolin Kung Fu demonstrations, and more between 12pm – 5pm.

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Visitors are invited to learn how to write a piece of Chinese calligraphy and draw a traditional painting by taking part in cultural workshops throughout the day. There will also be the chance to capture the celebrations by taking a photo with Pom Pom, the ten-foot Panda.

Festivities continue at Hippodrome Square in Southside to mark the official New Year’s Day on Sunday 22 January. Sponsored by Uber Eats and in association with Southside District and The Arcadian, the event is full of community performances, street food, face painting, fairground rides and family activities.

The opening ceremony at 12pm will feature Dim Jing - the traditional waking of the lion – followed by a variety of performances on the main stage, including classical fan dances, lion dances, and face changer performances alongside dance and music from the local community.

The Sunday programme will celebrate the official first day of the Year of the Rabbit.

Chinese New Year in BirminghamChinese New Year in Birmingham
Chinese New Year in Birmingham
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James Wong, Chair of the Chinese Festival Committee Birmingham said: “We’re thrilled to bring Lunar New Year festivities back to Southside in 2023.

“As you may have spotted, the name of the event is different from previous years; we have made this change to recognise communities across the world who celebrate the Lunar New Year alongside our Chinese community.

“We have created a fantastic programme of events with our co-producer, Birmingham Hippodrome, which will delight all visitors to the city, more details will be shared soon!

“We’d like to thank our sponsors and partners and look forward to the city-wide celebrations next month, alongside Bullring & Grand Central.”

Lunar New Year celebrations at Bullring & Grand Central in Birmingham City CentreLunar New Year celebrations at Bullring & Grand Central in Birmingham City Centre
Lunar New Year celebrations at Bullring & Grand Central in Birmingham City Centre
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Danielle Bozward, Marketing Manager at Bullring & Grand Central said: “We’re excited to build on the success of the festivities in 2022 by bringing firm favourites back to the city centre and working in partnership with Birmingham Hippodrome. We can’t wait to welcome in the Year of the Rabbit and celebrate with everyone.”

For more information about Birmingham’s celebrations, please visit the Chinese Festival Committee’s Facebook event: Chinese New Year 2023 in Birmingham

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