Chester prepares to ceebrate Chinese New Year

Jan 26 2012 Chester Chronicle

PREPARATIONS are well under way for Chester’s third Chinese New Year celebration, which will take place this Saturday.

The Year of the Dragon will be welcomed into the city with colourful fan dancing, a dragon dance, t’ai chi demonstrations and firecrackers.

The displays and parade, supported by Cheshire West and Chester Council, will begin from Eastgate Street at 11am, moving to Town Hall Square at noon.

Craft workshops and cultural performances will be held in the Slowboat Restaurant from 12.30pm.

Chinese New Year officially fell on January 23 but the celebrations are being held on a Saturday so more people will be able to enjoy them.

The Wah Lei Chinese Association – which will lead Saturday’s celebrations – is based at Chester’s Unity Centre, assisted by Cheshire, Halton and Warrington Race and Equality Centre (CHAWREC), and aims to foster, support and improve the well- being of the Chinese community and help them integrate with the wider community.

For further information, visit www.wahlei.org.