Birmingham’s annual Chinese New Year celebration is back and is bigger than ever; with two stages, lion dances, funfair rides, street food and a host of traditional entertainment taking over Southside on Sunday 29 January, from 11am to 4pm.
Building on the success of previous years, plans for the 2017 festival have been revealed and will see the capacity double in size. The event, which is organised by Chinese Festival Committee – Birmingham (CFC-B), will be jointly managed by Birmingham City Council and Birmingham Hippodrome.
The stages on Hurst Street and Ladywell Walk will create the main focal points for the event. The Genting Stage, positioned outside Snobs nightclub, will play host to performances including dragon dances, martial arts, cultural demonstrations and Chinese magic. The Birmingham International Airport stage, situated outside Chung Ying, will welcome local community groups and university students to perform throughout the day.
The celebration sees big changes for the festival with Hurst Street, Thorp Street and Ladywell Walk all closed off to traffic.
James Wong, Chairman of the CFC-B and Managing Director of Chung Ying Restaurant Group said:
“This is my second year in running the festival and I always had ambitions to make it bigger. The plans have really come together and I’m proud that we’re able to welcome the Year of the Rooster on such a grand scale.
“The changes to our event, which have been well supported by Birmingham City Council and Southside BID, mean that we can expect visitor numbers to double. It’ll be a fun day out for all the family!”
Birmingham Hippodrome will take part in the festivities with traditional performances outside their main entrance and children’s workshops in the Patrick Centre. The Arcadian Centre will have a host of stalls and street food as well as a large marquee with seating area.
Julia Chance, Southside BID manager, said:
“Each year, the Chinese New Year festivities bring thousands of new and returning visitors to Southside’s Chinatown. Despite its continued and growing success, last year the festival lost its funding from Birmingham City Council as part of the ongoing budget cuts happening across the city. Despite this hit, spirits haven’t been dampened and the entire Southside community has come together in support to raise the much-needed funds to plug this gap.
“The action taken is a true testament to the community spirit of the people who live, work and visit Southside and we’re truly touched by their continued support.”
To find out more, visit www.cnybirmingham.org.uk
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