Chinese New Year events for foodies

Whether you want celebrate in style, learn more about the festival, or simply chow down on some quality Chinese cuisine, we’ve rounded up the best ways in the UK to ring in the Year of the Rooster.

For adventurous foodies

24-26 January
Dumpling Masterclass, Chinese Laundry, London
Learn to make dumplings under the expert tutelage of Tongtong Ren, then tuck into a well-earned dumpling dinner. Ticket price includes a cocktail, glass of wine or a shot of the traditional Chinese rice spirit Baijiu – cheers!
Tickets £45

26-29 January
The CNY Street Food Market, Manchester
Sample Manchester’s finest Chinese fare all in one place – a festive red marquee in St Ann’s Square. Expect steamed buns, jianbing and more, with dim sum masterclasses too.
Free admission

28 January
Chinese New Year at Wai Yee Hong, Bristol
Wai Yee Hong, Chinese superstore and Bristol institution, will host festivities including firecrackers, lion dancing and kung fu. The resident Chinese baker will have wife cake and Chinese cookies to take home, and there’ll be dumplings, bánh mì and donburi to fill up on. Be sure to stock up on ingredients to recreate your favourite dishes at home.

23-29 January
The Jasmine Adventure, London
Journey into the dark and sultry belly of Shoreditch’s Drunken Monkey and welcome in the Chinese New Year with a hipster twist. Tuck into top-notch dim sum, paired with Willem Barentsz jasmine gin cocktails, with lion dancing on the Saturday night too.

For culture vultures

25 January
NI’s Chinese New Year Showcase, Belfast
Ulster Hall hosts the Jiangsu Cultural Troupe for one night only of modern dance, folk songs and acrobatics.
Tickets £7, www.ulsterhall.co.uk

26-29 January
The Lanterns of the Terracotta Warriors, Manchester
Take your place in Exchange Square among 40 life-size lanterns, inspired by the 8,000 clay statues that guard the tomb of the first Emperor of China. A great chance to see an artwork originally commissioned for the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008.
Free

29 January
Chinese New Year Parade, London
Follow the dragons and lions in a grand parade from Trafalgar Square to the heart of China Town, with dance troupes, martial arts and pyrotechnics. Tuck into some Chinese street food en route, or go posh and book into one of China Town’s famous restaurants for special menus and private parties.

Until 26 February
Magical Lantern Festival, Chiswick House & Gardens
This festival looks to the East as it explores the Silk Road with light sculptures, an ice rink, an ice bar and an impressive food line-up, including katsu, Chinese duck and a marshmallow roasting pit.
From £16.50 adult, £10.50 child (weekday in advance)

27-29 February
Chinese New Year Lumiere, Liverpool
Prepare to be dazzled by projections portraying the ancient myth of Jingwei and the Ocean, which will light up the city’s Chinese Arch for one hour each night. There’ll be music from the Pagoda Youth Orchestra, and an augmented reality trail to take you on a tour of Chinese history.
Free

For the whole family

29 January
Chinese New Year, Birmingham
Join the 30,000 people expect to throng Birmingham’s China Town for firecrackers, martial arts, street food and more.
Free, www.cnybirmingham.org.uk/

29 January
Chinese New Year, Newcastle
Lucky money will be given to children from 3.30pm, but there’s plenty to see and do beforehand – including a Chinese market, mini fairground, and a lion, dragon and unicorn dance.
Free

29 January
Chinese New Year Festival, Leeds
The town hall will be filled to burst calligraphy workshops, kung fu and tai chi demos, lion dance performances, face painting and traditional Chinese craft, beauty and food stalls.
Tickets from £5

11 February
Chinese New Year at V&A Museum of Childhood, London
Get stuck in at this hands-on celebration, with Chinese opera mask making, costumes and calligraphy workshops. There’ll be music and dance performances to get your toes tapping, too.
Free admission

25 February
Chinese New Year at the Lady Lever Art Gallery, Liverpool
Drop in to see lion dance workshops and kung fu demos, meet the Chinese God of Wealth, and settle down to hear traditional Chinese New Year stories told by BBC Radio Merseyside Orient Express presenter Billy Hui.
Free