Join city's Chinese New Year celebrations

Chinese New Year celebrations at Leeds town Hall.
14th Febuary 2016.
Picture : Jonathan Gawthorpe — Chinese New Year celebrations at Leeds town Hall. 14th Febuary 2016. Picture : Jonathan Gawthorpe

There are a series of events planned for the big day which this year falls on Saturday January 28.

The city has a thriving Chinese community and various groups are inviting their Western counterparts to join the celebrations.

They start tonight at Leeds Town Hall with a fashion show at Leeds Town Hall.

Date:7th February 2016. Picture James Hardisty.
Leeds Chinese Community Association Lion Dance Troupe, welcoming the Chinese New Year 2016 of the Monkey, during ceremony inside the Victoria Quarter, Leeds. — Date:7th February 2016. Picture James Hardisty. Leeds Chinese Community Association Lion Dance Troupe, welcoming the Chinese New Year 2016 of the Monkey, during ceremony inside the Victoria Quarter, Leeds.

It has been organised by designer Laura Henery where she will be showcasing the evolution of fashion in the East and the West from the past 100 years.

The grand finale are designs by Laura and Nicoleta Ionescu, which combine both Eastern and Western elements, drawing from the heritage of both cultures to create something new and forward-looking.

At the Merrion Centre, Chinese supermarket, Sing-Kee has seen a 20 per cent daily increase in sales this week and expect it to be as much as 50 per cent by tomorrow.

Staff will hold a traditional Lion Dance outside the shop tomorrow at 1.45pm and will hand out money off vouchers.

Store manager, Jason Ho said: “We’re really excited for Chinese New Year and to share this celebration with our shoppers.

“We always hope to inspire more people to try different foods and recipes and think a New Year party is the perfect occasion to try something new.”

And the Corn Exchange will ring in the ‘Year of the Rooster’, by transforming the building into a Chinese Culture Festival with a day of food, dance and performance .