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The biggest Chinese New Year event outside Asia will take place in London’s Chinatown

One of the city’s grandest cultural events, Year of the Snake festivities will include a colourful parade, lion and dragon dances, and traditional cuisine

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London’s Trafalgar Square is the venue for various activities for the Lunar New Year. Photo: Wang Zixuan

Published: 6:15pm, 21 Jan 2025

The first Sunday of the Year of the Wood Snake, February 2, will see the largest Lunar New Year celebrations outside Asia taking place in London.

What began in the 1970s as a small community celebration in the British capital’s Chinatown has steadily grown into a festival including a grand parade, live performances and food and drink, taking place across the West End, from Trafalgar Square to Shaftsbury Avenue.

“London is gearing up for one of its biggest annual events as we celebrate the Year of the Snake,” says Visit London managing director Rose Wangen-Jones. “We’re expecting hundreds of thousands of people to take part in the celebrations.

London’s Chinatown community is preparing to usher in the Year of the Snake. Photo: Allan Hong

“Events like this are hugely significant, contributing to London’s economy each year.”

The London Chinatown Chinese Association (LCCA), which organises the event, says it attracts both residents and tourists from throughout Britain and around the world. They flock to see the handcrafted floats, lion and dragon dances, traditional and contemporary Chinese music, song and dance performances and martial arts displays.

“It is a very special event for the Chinese community and a chance for us to have a good cultural exchange,” says a LCCA spokesman. “It is a chance to celebrate, a special day for gathering.”

Proceedings start with the grand parade of colourful floats and dancers made up of more than 50 teams. Beginning at the northeastern corner of Trafalgar Square at 10am, it will head north along Charing Cross Road, turning into Shaftsbury Avenue and ending at the top of Wardour Street, in Chinatown, at around 11.45am.

Chinatown’s restaurants will be offering traditional Spring Festival fare. Photo: Yuta Fukuda