Maidstone and Chatham to celebrate Lunar New Year with free parades and colourful Chinese lions
A celebration of Chinese culture is coming to Kent to commemorate the Lunar New Year.
The county town will be transformed into a colourful hub of street performers and stunning Chinese lions for this year’s festivities.
The day begins with the eye-dotting ceremony, a traditional ritual that involves marking the eyes of the dragon or lion to ‘awaken’ the spirit of the creature.
These dazzling lions will then dance and prowl through the crowds in Maidstone’s Jubilee Square.
There will also be silk and bamboo music inspired by Shanghai tea houses from the SOAS ensemble, performances by the Chinese Opera and classical folk dances from China and Korea.
Stephen Thompson, of Maidstone Borough Council, said: “This vibrant, cultural Lunar New Year celebration is a really great way to start the year and always attracts hundreds of people so remember to put the date in your diaries and come along to enjoy the fun. It's free to attend and really brings the town centre to life.”
The annual event will once again be produced by Cohesion Plus, an arts organisation based in Gravesend.
“The Lunar New Year celebrations in Maidstone are now well established and have developed into some of the biggest in Kent,” says Cohesion Plus’ Gurvinder Sandher. “This year we have put together another great programme for the community to enjoy from traditional dancing to music and the hugely popular dragons.”
Maidstone’s Lunar New Year event takes place on Saturday, February 1 from 12 noon.
The following week, a second festival will be held to mark the new year; this time, the streets of Chatham will be taken over by dancing dragons.
It all begins with a parade, which will see performers in traditional Chinese clothing march through the town centre.
There will also be craft workshops, dancers, market stalls and street food stands dishing up authentic Asian cuisine.
The festivities take place on Chatham High Street and in the Pentagon Shopping Centre on Saturday, February 8.
The Lunar New Year officially takes place on Wednesday, January 29, according to the lunisolar Chinese calendar. The celebrations symbolise the beginning of spring and are a time to remove negativity and welcome good fortune.
In Chinese culture, each year is represented by one of 12 zodiac animals. 2025 is the Year of the Wood Snake, which is believed to favour intelligence, prosperity and resourcefulness.
