A pawsome Chinese New Year!
LIVERPOOL is gearing up for its biggest ever Chinese New Year celebrations to
welcome the Year of the Dog. From 5pm, on Thursday, 8 February 2018, thousands of
Chinese lanterns will adorn William Brown Street, Lime Street, Renshaw Street,
Ranelagh Street, Berry Street, Nelson Street and Great George Square, and a
number of buildings will also turn red in homage to the Far East.
Lanterns will also adorn Liverpool ONE and Exchange Flags. After the success of
the 'Follow the Star' campaign which took place at Christmas, Kazimier
Productions will once again illuminate the Bold Street thoroughfare, this time
with 8 large lanterns accompanied by red lasers which will shine from the bell
tower of St Luke's Church. A newly commissioned sound design will run alongside
this work which has been created by Kazimier in partnership with Pagoda Arts.
This carpet of red will coincide with the public opening of China's 1st Emperor
and the Terracotta Warriors, at World Museum, on 9 February 2019, with the buildings
staying red and the lanterns remaining in place, until 28 February 2018, which
marks the end of Chinese New Year.
The excitement continues to build on Saturday, 10 February 2018, as the Liverpool Hung
Gar Kung Fu Friendship Association perform a traditional Lion Dance symbolising
good luck and good fortune, banishing the winter and welcoming spring. The
parade will take place through the City Centre, starting on Bold Street, at 1pm
and finishing at Liverpool ONE. Pagoda Arts will also be performing at Keys
Court within Liverpool ONE with a programme of dance and Tai Chi.
The main Chinese New Year celebrations will take place, from Friday, 16 February
to Sunday, 18 February 2018. Each night, a beautiful lumiere display will take
over Chinatown, lighting up the Chinese Arch, the Black-E and The Arch (formerly
known as the Scandinavian Hotel).
The new 12 minute projection commissioned by the City Council and entitled
Jingwei's Legacy (a continuation follow from last year's creation around an
ancient Chinese myth, Jingwei and the Ocean) will be shown 4 times. The stunning
creation focuses on cultural diversity and the hope that communities can live
together harmoniously regardless of their backgrounds or beliefs.
On the Friday and Saturday, entertainment will start from 7pm as Hung Gar Kung
Fu wow crowds with an illuminated dragon and Lion dance. There will also be
performances by Chinese and British students in traditional Chinese dress and
inspired by the Warring State and Hip Hop; a partnership by Pagoda Arts,
Everyman Playhouse and Liverpool Confucius Institute. Jinewei's Legacy will then
be shown, from 7.30pm to 8.30pm.
On Sunday, 18 February 2018, which will be the main focus of the Chinese New
Year celebrations, the projection will take place just once at 6.30pm and will
be followed by a short pyrotechnic finale.
Digital experts Illuminos have returned once again and have created the lumiere
creations in partnership with Pagoda Arts and 1st Take. The soundtrack to the
show is a specially commissioned piece from acclaimed musician, composer and
poet Jah Wobble with Tien and Chi Chi.
The traditional Chinese New Year celebrations, which attract around 20,000
people, will see a series of popular street performances, family workshops,
shadow puppet theatre, art installations, parades and of course the popular
Chinese market on George Street selling gifts, souvenirs and mouth watering
Chinese food. This year's event forms part of the China Dream season, in
partnership with University of Liverpool, which is set to be one of the
highlights of the Liverpool 2018 programme; celebrating 10 years since the City
held the title of European Capital of Culture.
Assistant Mayor and Cabinet Member for culture, tourism and events, Councillor
Wendy Simon, said:- "Our Chinese New Year celebrations are always hugely
popular, but as this is a special anniversary year for the city, we wanted to do
as much as we can to bring in the Year of the Dog. The beautiful Chinese
lanterns lining our streets along with buildings lit up in red will signal the
start of the New Year activities and will build up the excitement as we head
towards the main weekend of activity. In
2017
illuminations transformed Chinatown, and the beautiful work created by Illuminos
was breath taking. I encourage as many people as possible to experience this
year's Jingwei instalment as it really is an unmissable piece of art work. It's
set to be a wonderful weekend an opportunity for people to come together to
celebrate our Chinese community."
Across the weekend, people can also take part in a specially created augmented
reality trail which will take people on a tour through some amazing moments in
Chinese cultural history in Liverpool and beyond. More details will be announced
in the coming weeks.
Sunday's family friendly activities, kick off from 11.30am, with the programme which is as follows:-
► 11:30am to 6pm - Great George Square Stage
► 11:30am to 12:15pm - Kwong Tam School of Tai Chi (in association with See Yep
Association)
► 12:20pm to 1pm - Flower Drums, Fan Tai Chi, Dance and Happy Dance! (Pagoda
Arts)
► 1:05pm to 1:45pm - Firecracker Display - Lucky Man, Dragon and Unicorn Parades
► 1:45pm to 2pm - Martial Arts Demonstration (Liverpool Hung Gar Kung Fu
Friendship Association)
► 2:05pm to 2:25pm - Traditional Chinese Fan Dance and Cheongsam Costume Show (Wah
Sing Community Centre Dancers)
► 2:35pm to 2:45pm - Chinese Red Lantern Dance (Friendship Dancers)
► 2:50pm to 3:20pm - 24 Festival Drums (Liverpool Guild of Students)
► 3:30pm to 4pm - Chinese Fusion Dance Workshop - have a go! (Movema Dance)
► 4pm to 5pm - A showcase of traditional and contemporary music, dance and song
by Chinese students (Everyman and Playhouse and Liverpool Confucius Institute)
► 5pm to 5:30pm - Terracotta Warriors Love - A performance inspired by the
fusion of Chinese Opera, Martial arts and contemporary dance. (Pagoda Arts,
Everyman and Playhouse and Liverpool Confucius Institute).
► 5:30pm to 6pm - Chinese Fusion Dance (Movema Dance and 24 Festival Drums,
Liverpool Guild of Students)
Chinese Arch/Nelson Street:-
► 6.30pm - Chinese New Year lumiere - Jingwei's Legacy
► 6.40pm - Pyrotechnic display
► 6.45pm - Event ends
The event is organised by Liverpool City Council and is
supported by:- the University of
Liverpool, Liverpool
BID Company, Liverpool
ONE,
Stagecoach, Pagoda
Arts, 1st
Take, Arts
Council England
and the COol Collective .
For more information about timings, activities, family workshops or the
projections, visit:-
ChinaDreamLiverpool.Com or follow @culturelpool on
Twitter or Culture Liverpool on Facebook.
Bill Addy, chief executive, Liverpool BID Company, one of the key sponsors of
the Liverpool 2018 culture programme, said:- "This year's Chinese New Year
celebrations are set to be the biggest the City has ever witnessed, and not only
showcases Liverpool at its best, but firmly puts our BID levy payers at the
heart of the action. We expect the businesses up and down Bold Street in
particular; 1 of the iconic BID areas, and a thriving independent retail and
leisure hub; to see a positive impact thanks to the extra crowds these events
are expected to draw in. As one of the key sponsors of the 2018 culture
campaign, we encourage as many people as possible to come and make these
celebrations a success. Again, it's also exciting to work with Kazimier
Productions, whose 'Follow the Star' light commission brought some added magic
to the BID areas in the run up to Christmas. We look forward to seeing what they
have up their sleeve this time around."
Donna Howitt, marketing director at Liverpool ONE, said:- "This is such a
special celebration in the City's rich and diverse events calendar. It's an
occasion we see lots of families come together to enjoy. With performances,
lanterns and music to look forward to, Chinese New Year in Liverpool is a chance
to showcase our City's historical cultural connections."
Did you know? China's 1st Emperor and the
Terracotta Warriors exhibition runs at World Museum from 9 February to 28
October 2018. Tickets can be purchased
online now! Also to celebrate Chinese
New Year, World Museum will also be hosting free drop in family friendly
activities throughout Saturday, 10 February 2018, from 10am to 4pm, including
lion dancing, lion dancing, a calligraphy workshop, traditional Chinese opera
performances and re-enactments of the fighting techniques possibly used by the
1st Emperor's real army. Delivered by the Liverpool School of Cantonese Kung Fu.
The Museum will also be hosting a Chinese lantern workshop, on Sunday, 11
February 2018, from 1pm to 4pm, in preparation for the Chinese lantern festival,
on 2 March 2018, when lanterns traditionally decorate the streets of China, in
each house and store. In the parks, lanterns of different shapes and designs
attract countless visitors. Discover the history and skill of making Chinese
lanterns and make your own to take away with you and celebrate the coming of
spring. Click on
here to see our news report about the Terracotta
Warriors within this edition.