Chinese New Year: Region gets ready to usher in the Year of the Rooster
Towns and cities across the West Midlands are set to usher in the Year of the Rooster, with several Chinese New Year celebrations lined up.
Birmingham
Southside will once again play host to the city’s Chinese New Year celebrations as thousands of festival-goers descend on the area to welcome in the Year of the Rooster. Taking place on Sunday between 11am and 4pm, the 2017 celebrations will see Hurst Street and Ladywell Walk transformed into a festival space, complete with two performance areas, market stalls, fairground rides, games area and an Asian Street Food Fair. Expect traditional Chinese music, lion dancers, acrobats, martial artists as well as family workshops inside the Hippodrome’s own Patrick Centre studio.
Coventry
Coventry’s celebrations will be taking place on Saturday February 4 at Lower Precinct shopping centre and will be providing a whole host of free entertainment for all the family to enjoy. Dragon and lion dance performances, Chinese treats including traditional food by Wing Wah, bubble tea from Bubble Boba, hand crafted Chinese cards, martial arts demonstrations, prizes in the red envelope giveaway, traditional lantern decorating workshops, face-painting and more.
Wolverhampton
Chinese New Year returns to the Grand Theatre with an exciting show of cultural spectacle to welcome in the Year of the Rooster. Chinese New Year Extravaganza is set to feature a team of performers showcasing Chinese performing arts. From the cheerful spirit of the auspicious Lion Dance, to the majestic and awe-inspiring contortion, the show will be a colourful display of Chinese cultural tradition. Witness daring Chinese acrobatic stunts, elegant Chinese dance, a kung fu performance, a puppeteer and many more child-friendly performances. 
Shirley
Shirley restaurant, Royal Garden is bringing in a lion dancing troop from London to put on a traditional display as part of its New Year celebration evening. The Dragon Style Kung Fu Club – which can normally be seen performing in London’s China Town – will be bestowing luck, prosperity and good health to diners as they perform at Royal Garden on Shirley Hills Road on Thursday February 2. Guests at Royal Garden will also be invited to tuck into a three-course sharing banquet and listen to live music from the restaurant’s house band.
Stoke-on-Trent
The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery will be welcoming in the year of the rooster on Sunday February 5 with traditional dragon and lion dances, firecrackers, magic, acrobats and Chinese folk dancing. In the theatre there will be performances from children from the local Chinese Sunday school and an extract of Cantonese Opera performed in full cultural costume as well. Craft activities will be taking place throughout the day including Chinese painting, writing and origami.
