Lunar New Year 2024

This is a past event and is currently no longer running.

Family & Pantomime, Festivals & Outdoor Events

Produced by Birmingham Hippodrome

Sun 11 Feb

FREE

Birmingham’s Lunar New Year Celebrations took place in Hippodrome Square to welcome the Year of the Dragon.

There was a packed programme of performances and festivities all day to celebrate the official first day of the new year. Take a look below for highlights.

View highlights of previous Lunar New Year celebrations

The UberEats Festival stage

A packed programme starting with the traditional waking of the Lion ‘Dim Jing’ to bring in the festivities with firecrackers.

Expect to see drummers, face changer performances, choirs, musicians, K-pop and traditional Chinese dance on stage at the heart of the festival site, hosted by Phil Oldershaw.

12 noon - 6pm at Hippodrome Square...

Family activities

Step into Birmingham Hippodrome’s foyers throughout the day for free family activities and facepainting.

You can decorate dragon puppets, try calligraphy or colour traditional Lunar New Year Zodiac animals and messages.

Don’t miss the chance to write your own new year wish on a Dragon
scale and pin it on a piece of newly commissioned Dragon artwork.

12 noon - 5.30pm in the Foyers, Birmingham Hippodrome...

Craft market and funfair rides

The craft market offers you a chance to purchase unique homemade and traditional items.

Family friendly fairground rides are located around the site as well as street food vendors, offering a variety of food options and cuisines.

12 noon - 6pm at Inge Street & Hurst Street (Fairground rides may be chargeable)...

Move Midlands performances

A cohort of New Earth Theatre alumni who are based in Birmingham and the Midlands. They will present performance showcases of new work.

Aspiring to empower British East & South East Asian creatives, these performances share stories and voices of the underrepresented.

1pm - 1.40pm & 2pm - 3pm: New Beginnings: A Move Midlands Debut

4.30pm - 5.30pm :'Dollars And Sense' & 'Why I'm Afraid To Go Outside', age guidance 15+

Patrick Studio at Birmingham Hippodrome

Drop in, no ticket required...

Dance workshops

Take part in a K-Pop or Traditional Chinese Fan dance workshop led by
professional dance instructors within
the local community, delving into the
origins of traditional dances and art
forms within different cultures.

K-pop dance: 1pm, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm Age 8+

Fan dance: 1.30pm, 2.30pm, 3.30pm & 4.30pm Age 4+

Foyers, Birmingham Hippodrome
Drop in, no ticket required...

Fireworks Finale

The fireworks finale closes the day of festivities with a spectacular colourful display.

Packed full of vibrant colours (especially reds) and noise, in Chinese culture, fireworks drive away bad spirits and monsters who are afraid of loud sounds and the colour red.

5.45pm at Hippodrome Square...

Meet Pom Pom

Get the perfect selfie moment with Pom Pom, the giant ten-foot Panda who will be roaming around the site for families to meet..

Plus, you can experience other performances and pop-up surprises throughout the festival, including dragon and lion dances....

Hsiaoling Houston – Fine Art Exhibition

Presenting Hsiaoling Houston’s debut fine art exhibition. Hsiaoling explores the principles of nature being endlessly variable and infinitely inspiring. Reflecting the world as she sees it – bringing joy and enlightenment through art – with fluidity, playing with colours and shapes – merging art styles and
materials utilised within the pieces.

12 noon - 6pm at Thorp Street Atrium, Birmingham Hippodrome...