Empire Restaurant welcomes in the Chinese New Year 4716
Photographs and video by Patrick Trollope.

THE Liverpool Hung Gar Kung Fu Group was formed in 1975 and has since grown to become 1 of the North West's leading clubs. At this time of year they are always in great demand, but even more so, at this year when they are participating heavily in the celebrations in Liverpool, marking the Chinese New Year 2018. As they get ready for the main event in Liverpool, on Sunday, 18 February, the club are doing many local events throughout the region.

On 15 February, they headed to Southport's Empire  Restaurant, Nevill Street, to deliver a fantastic display, that included:- Lion Dancing, Kung Fu demonstrations, Fire Crackers and 2 Good Luck Men... Plus the traditional drum accompaniment. The event was extremely successful, despite the weather being cold. Merseyside Police helped to block the road as the event took place. This traditional event is 1 of several that takes place in and around Southport, marking Chinese New Year, but due to the location, this is 1 of the most established and impressive within the area. If you missed it, we have uploaded a video to our YouTube along with these photographs. If you missed this event, contact Southport's Empire Restaurant and get your name down for the 2019 event, as it will be sold out well before 2019!

For more information about the Liverpool Hung Gar Kung Fu club, visit:-  LiverpoolKungFu.Com alternatively you can follow them on both Twitter and on Facebook.

To get your name down for 2019's Chinese New Year celebrations at Southport's Empire, call them on:- 01704 547718 or pop in. Don't leave it to next year as you will more than likely miss out...

We would love to know you thought of the celebrations at Southport's Empire  Restaurant, Nevill Street, via emailing us at:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com.

Did you know?  That our 2018 is the Chinese 4716 the year of the Earth Dog, running from 16 February 2018 to 4 February 2019... The next Year of the Dog will be 2030, others in the past include:- Gold Dog 1910, Water Dog 1922, Wood Dog 1934, Fire Dog 1946, Earth Dog 1958, Gold Dog 1970, Water Dog 1982, Wood Dog 1994, Fire Dog 2006. Each of the 12 zodiac sign are associated with 1 of the 5 elements:- Gold (Metal), Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, known as the Chinese element theory. Each element only comes to a zodiac sign within a 60 year cycle... Your luckiest Chinese lunar months are the 6th, 10th, and 12th and days are the 7th and 28th day of every Chinese lunar month!  The lucky numbers for 4716 are as follows:- 3, 4, 9, should you have been born in a Dog year. Your lucky colours are:- red, green, and purple and your lucky flowers will be:- rose and cymbidium orchids! The Dog occupies the 11th position in the Chinese zodiac, after the Rooster, and before the Pig. As it is near Valentine's Day this year you might want to try our free Chinese Zodiac True Love Checker to find out if your Valentine truly was/is the 1 for you!

More photos from this event can be found on the NEXT Page >>>