Chinese New Year in the UK is like stepping into a cultural treasure chest filled with age-old traditions.
How to Celebrate Chinese New Year in the UK
Whether you're here for the lion dances, the dim sum, or an excuse to have another New Year party, you're in for a treat.
Because Brits go hard when it comes to the Lunar New Year.
Paint the Town Red with London's Spectacular Party
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Our fair capital city hosts the largest Chinese New Year celebration outside Asia.
And as you might expect from something on such a grand scale, it's nothing short of astonishing.
Picture this - lion dances weaving through Gerrard Street and martial artists defying gravity while traditional Chinese performances light up Trafalgar Square.
Add to this a thriving street food scene offering everything from fluffy bao buns to sizzling Peking duck and you've found the recipe for some sweet Lunar New Year magic.
Attending the celebrations is completely free, so you can save your pennies for a delicious dim sum feast.
When? London's Chinese New Year Festival is organised by the Chinatown Chinese Association and will take place on Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd February.
The famous lion dance will be held on 1st Feb between 11am and 5pm, while the showstopping parade is scheduled to take place between 10:00 and 11:45 on 2nd Feb.
Follow the Dragon in Manchester
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Home to the second-largest Chinatown in the United Kingdom and the third-largest in Europe, Manchester always has a packed agenda for Chinese New Year.
Manchester's Chinese New Year parade is all about dragons, fireworks and of course, live music - this is Manchester, after all.
The dragon parade starts at 12pm on Sunday 2nd February and is set to wind through the city centre, offering a colourful, visual treat for the crowds.
There are a host of other events set to take place across both Manchester and Salford.
From arts, crafts and a Hanfu show at Central Library, Chinese scroll painting at 200 Degrees Coffee and lantern displays and a free cash hunt in Spinningfields.
Keeping things low-key? If you're looking for a more laid-back celebration, then head to Kargo Mkt, Salford Quays on Friday 31st January for a Happy Hour Lunar New Year Gathering.
Get involved in the cherished Hong Kong tradition of fai chun writing, where you'll write down all your hopes and wishes for the new year on bright red paper to bring good luck.
Get a Selfie with a Giant Panda in Birmingham
Pom Pom, the ten-foot panda outside Birmingham Hippodrome in celebration of Chinese New Year. Image owned by Simon Hadley and used with permission of Birmingham Hippodrome.
Tens of thousands of people flock to Birmingham every year to attend the city's Chinese New Year festival.
Food stalls will be lining the streets, serving everything from dim sum to sugar-dusted Chinese New Year biscuits.
You can expect to see the traditional dim jing, or the waking of the lion, colourful dragon dances and a giant ten-foot panda named Pom Pom, who will be wandering around the city on Sat 1st offering selfies.
Head to Hippodrome Square on Sunday 2nd Feb to see what all the fuss is about.
From 1-2pm on the South Side stage, you can catch sword sparring, kung fu, tai chi and a jasmine flower dance.
It will finish up with a Chinese and Scottish Fusion dance, arranged by Birmingham's Chinese Community Centre. Now that's a sight you don't see every day.
The best bit? It's completely free to attend.
Chinese New Year the Newcastle Way
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Geordies might be known for their love of a good night out, but they also know how to throw a cracking Chinese New Year party.
On Sunday 2nd February, Newcastle's Stowell Street is transformed into a thriving hub of Chinese traditions, including crafts, calligraphy, rhythmic drumming, dancing and street food vendors dishing up authentic Chinese snacks.
Don't Miss: The Lion and Dragon Dance Parade at 11:00 at Grey's Monument.
Performers, puppets, dancers and drummers weave through the streets before reaching the Chinese Arch on Stowell Street, where festivities continue into the evening.
Get Under the Largest Arch Outside of China
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Liverpool is home to the largest Chinese arch outside of China, making it the perfect backdrop for the city's celebrations.
With the oldest Chinese community in Europe, you just know Liverpool is going to go all-out for the Lunar New Year.
Celebrations are set to kick off on Sunday 2nd February.
Expect lantern displays, parades, family-friendly events and plenty of photo opportunities under the magnificent arch.
The Chinese food scene in Liverpool is top-notch too. So be sure to hunt down some traditional Chinese snacks on your visit.
Organisers have also set up an online portal for those who can only celebrate remotely.
Check out material such as poems, information on Chinese traditions and archive footage of dances and parades.
See World-Class Acrobats in Sheffield
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Sheffield prides itself on the authenticity of its Lunar New Year celebrations.
Over 1,000 lanterns will line the city and the main event, the Peace Gardens Lunar Fair, takes place on 1st and 2nd Feb.
Sheffield is in for a particularly spectacular treat in 2025.
The World Champion Foshan Lion Dance Troupe is set to travel all the way from Foshan to perform in the city for the first time.
Known for their jaw-dropping acrobatics and awe-inspiring movements on a towering 15-metre structure, their performance is set to be the jewel in the crown of Sheffield’s celebrations.
In the run-up to the main events on the 1st and 2nd February, there'll be a special lights switch-on at Sheffield Children's Hospital on the 30th January, followed by performances at Meadowhall the following day.
Visit Museums and Galleries
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If you prefer a quieter celebration, why not explore some Chinese art and culture at your own pace?
Museums and galleries across the UK have impressive artefacts and exhibits to shine a light on this fascinating country and its culture.
Many also run workshops and displays at this time of year.
It's an insightful way to celebrate the traditions and history behind the festival.
Check your city's gallery websites and Chinese community centres to see if they've got anything special lined up.
Celebrate with a DIY Feast at Home
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For those who prefer to stay in, there's always the option to bring the party home.
Chinese New Year is all about family, friends and, of course, food.
It's the perfect excuse to gather loved ones for a DIY feast from the comfort of your home.
Start with dumplings - a symbol of wealth and prosperity (who doesn't want a side of good fortune with their meal?).
Follow up with longevity noodles for a long life and finish with nian gao - a sticky rice cake believed to bring success.
You can gift your guests some Chinese New Year biscuits or snacks, which you can find in most UK supermarkets.
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If you're feeling generous, add red envelopes (hongbao) filled with lucky money and you've got yourself a Lunar feast your guests won't forget in a hurry.
And there you have it - that's how to celebrate Chinese New Year in the UK.
If you dig into the culture, throw yourself into the festivities and wear something red for good luck and prosperity, then you can't go far wrong.
Stay Online This Chinese New Year
Whether you're hopping between UK cities to soak up the celebrations or video-calling family in Asia to share your Lunar New Year wishes, staying connected is key.
Say goodbye to fiddly plastic SIM cards and eye-watering roaming fees with eSIMs for the UK, Asia, China or wherever you are this Lunar New Year.
