Chinese New Year 2023 in Liverpool – Everything you need to know

Chinese New Year 2023 will celebrate the Year of the Rabbit

Liverpool has the oldest Chinese community in Europe and China Town is set to become a festival of colour and sound once again, as we prepare to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit on Sunday January 22. 

The free celebration features a packed programme which will include; the traditional dragon, lion and unicorn parades, firecracker displays, family workshops, Tai Chi demonstrations, live music performances, a small fairground and food stalls. 

The day itself has a jam-packed timetable for you to check out, as you weave yourself through the crowds, street food in hand, and experience some fantastic cultural performances. 

Chinese New Year Timetable:

11am – 5pm              Great George Square

12pm – 12.15pm       DJ Yeti

12.15pm – 1pm         Pagoda Arts – Flower Drums, Fan Tai Chi, Dance and Happy Dance!

1pm – 1.40pm           Firecracker Display – Lucky Man, Dragon and Unicorn Parades

1.40pm – 1.50pm      Liverpool Hung Gar Kung Fu Friendship Association – Martial Arts Demonstration

1.50pm – 1.55pm      DJ Yeti

1.55pm – 2.15pm      

Wah Sing Chinese Community Centre Dancers – Traditional Chinese Dance and Song

Bless You – Chinese Dance Performance

Draw You – Chinese Dance Performance

Beautiful Taihu – Chinese Dance Performance

Happy Every Year song – Singing Performance

2.15pm – 2.20pm        Friendship Dancers Moon Night Waltz

2.20pm – 2.45pm        Tian and LIMF Academy (in association with Pagoda Arts)

2.50pm – 2.55pm        Wirral Chinese Cultural Association: Classical Dance – Dream in Flowers

2.55pm – 3pm             North East Wales Chinese Women’s Association – Traditional Chinese Dance

3pm – 3.10pm             Movema Dance – Silk

3.15pm – 3.20pm        UK Phoenix Qipao Chinese Cultural and Art Association – The Big Fan Dance ‘WanJiang’ and  The Silk Scarf QiPao show ‘The Picture Scroll of Love’

3.25pm – 3.30pm        Friendship Dancers – Beautiful River (Chinese Line Dance)

3.45pm – 4.10pm        Tian & LIMF Academy (in association with Pagoda Arts)

4.15pm – 4.25pm        Movema Dance – Silk

4.30pm – 4.55pm        Bring the Fire Project

5.05pm                        Event ends

All times subject to change. Please check website and social media for any changes. 

Activity will take place from 11am to 5pm on 22 January in and around the Great George Square area and all the information about what to expect can be found on the official website here. 

Culture Liverpool has also commissioned a number of new cultural pieces which are all free!

What new pieces can I expect to see? 

Bring The Fire

A stunning fire-finale, will see Shaolin Warriors perform fiery martial arts, beautiful dance pieces and kinetic fire sculpture that will create a mesmerising theatre of moving flames.

The Lunar Rabbit

Created by Focal Studios, in partnership with artists Eleonora Asparuhova and Laura Sullivan, a six-minute projection show will light up the Bombed-Out Church. The show will reflect the qualities of the rabbit’s personality, projected on the tower inside the grounds.

You can see this from Friday 20 – Sunday 22 January, 5.00pm – 9.00pm each evening.

Pearl River to the Mersey River

Pagoda Arts, in collaboration with LIMF Academy artists and musician Jah Wobble, will deliver a programme of music masterclasses. The instrumental fusion of Chinese and western music will be performed at both the Chinese New Year event on Sunday 22 January and at the Royal Philharmonic Music Room on Friday 27 January.

Silk

Focusing on the resilience and strength of the Chinese community post-Covid, this installation will see interactive dance pop-ups take place along Berry Street, Bold Street and Great George Street on Sunday 22 January – as well as a stage performance at St George Square. It has been co-funded by Movema and Jockey Club England.  

Rabbit Lanterns 

Three specially designed Chinese New Year rabbit lanterns, standing 1.5 metres high, will take pride of place near the Chinese Arch, created by local artist Becky Bryson.

Events & Workshops at FACT

In Conversation events and workshops, including lantern making sessions, will take place in FACT on Thursday 26 January. They will be led by artist-in-residence April Lin.

Illuminate the city

Thousands of Chinese lanterns have already adorned the city centre streets around Chinatown and Liverpool ONE, and from Friday 20 to Sunday 22 January, a number of buildings will be illuminated in red in honour of the new year – signifying good fortune and joy to everyone. 

What buildings are lit up?

Liverpool Town Hall

St George’s Hall

Cunard Building

St Nicholas Parish Church

Sefton Park Palm House

World Museum Liverpool

Martin Luther King Building

Royal Liver Building

Liverpool One

Liverpool Central Library

Toxteth Library

Merseyside Police Headquarters.

… and more 

Other events taking place

Did you know it is not just the day itself that you can be excited for… there’s a whole host of exhibitions and events taking place all over the city that you can take part in – here’s a few to keep an eye out for: 

Chinese & British Exhibition 

This free new exhibition at Liverpool Central Library, which opened Monday 16 January 2023 draws on personal stories and moments of national significance to ask what it means to be Chinese and British. 

Event Date: Monday 16th January – Friday 31st March 2023

For more info click here. 

Chinese New Year Cabinet of Curiosities 

Anthony Wong is a classically trained goldsmith running a studio practice from one of the oldest buildings in Liverpool, designing and making by hand using traditional methods.

Throughout January you are invited to the jewellery showcase, ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ at the Bluecoat Display Centre to view his exquisite pieces. 

Event Date: Saturday 7th January – Saturday 28th January 2023

For more info click here. 

Chinese New Year Gala 

To celebrate the beginning of the Year of the Rabbit, the University of Liverpool Confucius Institute will be hosting a Chinese New Year Gala on the Tuesday 27 January 2023.

The gala will be held in the Tung Auditorium, Yoko Ono-Lennon Centre from 2:00pm – 4:00pm and will include Kung-Fu demonstrations as well as drama, music, dance, and song performances by professional troupes and local students. 

The gala will be a fun way for local students to learn about Chinese traditions and that they will have fun doing so! 

Event Date: Friday 27th January – Friday 27th January 2023

For more info click here. 

CNY with the Black-E 

The Black-E has a whole week of fun planned for the 2023 Luna New Year and everyone is invited to join them!

For more info click here. 

To keep up to date with everything this Chinese New Year check out the Culture Liverpool website here.