Chinese New Year, Manchester city centre
Sunday 22 January 2023
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Manchester will be celebrating the Year of the Rabbit with the return of its legendary Dragon Parade after a two year hiatus.
Headlining this year’s celebrations, the popular parade which attracts thousands of visitors, will take place on Sunday 22 January. Weaving its way through the city’s streets, the 175ft Chinese dragon will be accompanied by traditional lion and ribbon dancers, Chinese Opera performers, twelve Zodiac animals and Ancient Army characters.
In a new route for 2023, the parade will start its journey at 12pm from Manchester Central and make its way to Chinatown which is celebrating the lunar new year with a live performance stage, fun fair, Chinese arts and crafts and street food stalls from 12pm – 7pm and two glittering illuminated night dragon performances at 5pm & 6pm.
This year’s celebrations, organised by the Federation of Chinese Associations of Manchester (FCAM) in partnership with Manchester Business Improvement District and Manchester City Council, will see the return of thousands of traditional red lanterns to brighten the city’s streets in the run-up to Chinese New Year, a week long residency of traditional street food stalls in the city’s Piccadilly Gardens from Saturday 21 – Sunday 29 January and a final performance from the illuminated night dragon to close this year’s festivities at 5pm on Sunday 29th in Piccadilly Gardens.
SUNDAY 22nd JANUARY FULL ROAD CLOSURE INFO
The Chinese New Year Dragon Parade will make its way from Manchester Central Convention Complex to China Town, followed by celebrations in the car park and surrounding streets of China Town. Several roads will be closed:
Parade route road closures 11am – 3pm
- Windmill Street (Lower Mosley Street – Watson Street)
- Mount Street (Windmill Street – Alberts Square)
- Peter Street (Watson to Oxford Street)
- Oxford Street (Peter Street to Chepstow Street)
- Oxford Road (Oxford Street to Whitworth Street)
- Portland Street (Chepstow Street to Chorlton Street)
- Princess Street (Portland Street to Cooper Street). Timings subject to change.
China Town road closures 6am – 10pm
- Faulkner Street (Princess Street to New York Street)
- Reyner Street (Princess Street to Charlotte Street)
- St James’ Street (Princess Street to Charlotte Street)
- Charlotte Street (Portland Street to Mosley Street)
- George Street (Dickenson Street to New York Street)
- Chain Street (George Street to Faulkner Street)
- Back George Street (Dickenson Street to Charlotte Street)
- Nicholas Street (Portland Street to Mosley Street)
- Pine Street (Chain Street to New York Street)
Parking and Metrolink
Parking suspensions will be in operation from 9pm on Saturday 21 January 2023.
Metrolink: there won’t be any suspensions to tram services but there might be slight delays. From 12 noon until 1pm we’d expect some congestion around St Peters Square due to more pedestrians, and the Dragon Parade will cross the tracks at St Peter’s Square between 12:30pm and 12:40pm.
For more media information contact Anoushka or Kat at ECHO PR – anoushka@echo-pr.co.uk / kat@echo-pr.co.uk / 07732 846650