Lunar New Year 2025 Celebrations - The Year of The Snake

About

Lunar New Year celebrations are set to bring the streets of Durham alive with colour, dancing and music on Saturday 1st February. 

This Lunar New Year sees the start of the year of the Snake. 

Across the city you'll find an exciting line up of family-friendly events and activities to enjoy at various venues.

Clayport Library
10:00 – 16:00 
Activities are all drop in and are FREE to attend. They are suitable for children and adults. Children must be supervised.

10:30 - 15:30
● Drop-in children’s crafts (lanterns, paper chain snakes and more)
● Handle ancient objects from the Oriental Museum’s collection

12:00 – 14:30
● Drop-in language taster sessions with Durham University
● tbc Drop-in calligraphy sessions

Durham Market Place, Durham City streets and Clayport Library
12:30 - 14:30
● Food sales and information stall in Market Place 12:30 start
● Lion Dance - see if the Mayor will catch the lucky lettuce outside XXX to bring good luck to the city for the coming year. Follow the lion dance procession across the city.

Oriental Museum
Suitable for families with children aged 5-11 years. All children must be accompanied by an adult. FREE of charge and FREE entry to the Oriental Museum.
13:00 - 15:00 Celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Snake and make some snaky shadow puppets.

Dunelm House, Durham Students’ Union, New Elvet
11:00 - 14:30
Easy access from street. Admission is free. Visitors can join and leave the performance programme at any point. Tiered seating will provide an excellent view of two special shows.

11:00
Event Opening & Interactive Activities
Host’s Welcome and Introduction of the First Performance
Tea ceremony

12:30 - 14:30
University showcase

A fantastic performance of music, song and dance performed by members of the Chinese Scholars and Students Association, the Han Fu Society and Durham Chinese School. The show will feature great solo instrumentals on instruments unfamiliar to many - erhu, hulusi, gushing and pipa, great vocal performances, a dance show choreographed by DURance and will conclude with an amazing costume show; introducing traditional Chinese costume from all parts of China and across the centuries

Xīnnián hǎo to everyone celebrating Chinese New Year!