Chinese New Year is always a big celebration in Newcastle and the North East, with a vibrant Chinese community welcoming everyone to join in. The Chinese lunar new year begins on 10th February marking the Year of the Dragon and Newcastle is celebrating on 11th February.
Find out more about the Spring Festival, celebrations in Newcastle and our Chinese community, as well as Chinese language and culture events and activities available for schools, as part of Express Yourself North East Festival of Languages in March.
Chinese Spring Festival (New Year)
Chinese New Year is a traditional Chinese holiday celebrated at the turn of the Chinese calendar. In China, it is also known as the Spring Festival.
The date for Chinese New Year is different every year as it is set according to the Lunar calendar. It falls on the first day of the new moon which begins in either late January or February. Celebrations last for around 15 days, ending on the day of the full moon.
Customs differ, but Chinese New Year is important for families to come together and wish each other peace and prosperity for the year ahead.
Chinese New Year in Newcastle
The 2024 Chinese New Year celebrations are set to be a spectacle of colour and sound taking place on Sunday 11th February in Newcastle’s China Town. Celebrating the Year of the Dragon, this year, the popular procession featuring the famous lion and dragon dance, is to begin at the Monument in the city centre.
In honour of the year of the Dragon, festival goers will be able to see the heralded Dragon Dance parade from 11.00am. The parade will start at Grey’s Monument and wind its way along Blackett Street and Gallowgate and towards the Chinese Arch at Stowell Street.
With events continuing throughout the day, restaurants and businesses will be showcasing Chinese food and arts, ranging from calligraphy to music. There will be plenty of photo opportunities along the way to capture some memories with the lion dancers!
Festival goers are also welcome to visit the Chinese Association situated on Stowell Street and participate in a selection of activities exploring Chinese culture and heritage.
Newcastle’s Chinese Community
China Town in Newcastle is one of only five China Towns in the UK and sits at the heart of the Chinese community. Based around Stowell Street in the city centre, it has a bustling Chinese community centre, supermarket and a fabulous selection of restaurants.
There are now over 35,000 people in the community in the city and surrounding areas, from all over the world – Hong Kong, mainland China, Taiwan, and South East Asia (Malaysia, Singapore). There is also a strong Chinese student body in both Newcastle and Northumbria Universities.
The North East Chinese Association (NECA) and the Northern British Chinese Entrepreneur Association are two of the key organisations supporting and representing the community. NECA was formed in 1979 by volunteers to support the local community and now provides a wide range of cultural, social and education services and opportunities.
Did you know?
- St John’s cemetery in Elswick has the first recorded Chinese person in the city, with a headstone in Chinese letters from 1881, dedicated to a Chinese sailor.
- The first Chinese restaurant opened in 1949, but it was in the 1960s-1980s that a lot more migration occured, with people seeking business opportunities and the chance to make a better living.
- China Town marked a significant step when in in 2004, an 11 metre high Chinese arch, built by Shanghai craftsmen was erected on St Andrew’s Street, flanked by two Chinese guardian lions and facing St James’ Park, the home of Newcastle United Football Club.
Year of the Dragon Education Pack
British Council have produced a Year of the Dragon Education Pack for primary schools. The pack contains resources to help schools learn about the spring festival and explore Chinese Language and Culture. Pupils can:
- read a traditional Chinese tale which explains the origin of four Chinese rivers
- practice vocabulary and calligraphy linked to the weather
- get creative making amazing dragon puppets and designs for long scrolls and ceramics
- learn how to spot an Imperial dragon
- celebrate the New Year festival by making a delicious stir-fry dish called Wandering Dragon.
Express Yourself: North East Festival of Languages events and activities for schools and groups
There are lots of events and activities that schools and groups can get involved in with a Chinese focus as part of this year’s Festival of Languages. Click here to see the full programme of What’s On, or see the links and activities below:
Join in and sing, play and perform the Festival Song, ‘Happy’, in Chinese, with resources available. Register by 18th February and submit videos by 18th March.
Get involved in Mother Tongue Other Tongue by writing poems in Mandarin or Cantonese as part of a celebration of children’s writing. Submissions by 22nd March.
Make origami Peace Cranes and write a message of peace in Chinese languages as part of a regional exhibition. Submissions by 6th March.
Join in Welcome to China Events with Confucius Institute at Newcastle University (10-12 on 12th, 13th or 14th March). Join in a language Mandarin taster session and a cultural workshop including Tai Chi or Kungfu, calligraphy and paper cutting.
Join Language and Culture taster sessions in March and choose Chinese. With staff and Student Language Ambassadors from Newcastle University Language Resource Centre. For secondary/6th form pupils: 30-45 min virtual or 2-hour in person sessions.