Year of the Snake event draws a large crowd to Preston
Young and old turned out in their hundreds to celebrate Lunar New Year at the University of Central Lancashire.
The Year of the Snake event, held on the Preston Campus, saw members of the public join with local schoolchildren, University students and staff to watch a variety of traditional dance, music and martial arts performances.
Run by the University’s Confucius Institute, the event included eye-catching lion dancing, rhythmic Chinese and samba drumming, elegant Tai Chi Fan with Kung Fu, and a vibrant Chinese traditional costume catwalk show.
Year 4 and 5 pupils from English Martyrs’ Primary School and the Preston’s People’s Choir sang songs in Chinese songs, meaning the performers aged from 8 to 80.
"Our Lunar New Year celebration was a fantastic showcase of cultural exchange and tradition, bringing the community together to have shared hope for a prosperous new year"
— Sunny Liu, University of Central Lancashire Confucius Institute Director
Childminder Natalie Mooring travelled from Burnley to attend with a one-year-old and two two-year-olds. She said: “I think it’s really important to show the children, no matter what age they are, the different cultures within our society. They loved getting hands-on when they were able to run around flying brightly coloured little dragon kites.”
Sunny Liu, University of Central Lancashire Confucius Institute Director, added: “Our Lunar New Year celebration was a fantastic showcase of cultural exchange and tradition, bringing the community together to have shared hope for a prosperous new year.
“It was wonderful to see so many people of all ages come along and really embrace all aspects of the occasion.”
The Mayor of Preston, Councillor Phil Crowe, and Professor Graham Baldwin, Vice-Chancellor of the University, gave welcome and new year speeches.
