Celebrate the Chinese New Year – the year of the snake – with gala events in Reading town centre

A day of celebration is promised as Reading marks the Chinese New Year and the start of the Year of the Snake.

The Chinese New Year starts on Wednesday, January 29, and ends of Sunday, February 16.

Reading is to hold its own gala celebrations on Sunday, February 9.

Organised by the Reading Chinese School, in partnership with Reading Borough Council, Reading BID, the town’s schools and communities, there will be a host of events that people can join in with.

They include workshops to help people learn more about the culture and history of the Asian nation, traditional lion dances, and a parade.

Some of the entertainment is free, others need to be booked.

What is the Chinese New Year?

Traditionally, the Chinese New Year celebrates the end of winter and the beginning of spring and starts with the new moon seen at some point between January 21 and February 20.

Chinese legends say this is an opportunity to scare away Nian, a monster who ate people and livestock, as well as marking the transition from winter to spring.

It culminates in a lantern festival on the 15^th day of the new year.

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Celebrated for at least 3,000 years, the Chinese New Year is the biggest holiday in China. Each new year has its own animal based on the Chinese zodiac. This is the year of the snake.

Families and friends come together to bid farewell to the old year and usher in the new, while letting off fireworks, enjoying lion and dragon dances, and giving red envelopes containing money.

They decorate homes and streets with red paper, lanterns and other decorations, mimicking how they banished Nian all those years ago.  

What is the Year of the Snake?

The Snake is the sixth animal in the Chinese zodiac and is sometimes referred to as the Little Dragon Year.

The others are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.

The snake is in the second Trine of the Chinese zodiac along with ox, snake and rooster. These signs are said to possess endurance and application, with a slow accumulation of energy.

Wikipedia states: “They are associated with the element of metal, meticulous at planning but tend to hold fixed opinions. The three are described as intelligent, hard-working, modest, industrious, loyal, philosophical, patient, good-hearted, and morally upright. However, they can also exhibit traits such as being self-righteous, egotistical, vain, judgmental, narrow-minded, and petty.”

What is happening at Reading’s Chinese New Year celebrations?

The events on Sunday, February 9, are centred around the town hall in Blagrave Street.

Free Chinese workshops

They start from 10.30am with an hour of traditional Chinese workshops. Suitable for all ages, they are offered on a drop-in basis.

Here is what is on offer:

• Chinese Calligraphy
• Chinese Tea Art
• Chinese Naming Conventions
• Traditional Chinese Clothes
• Taichi.

Look out for the street parade

Running from 11.40am, and taking around an hour, there will be a parade through Reading town centre.

Organisers say: “Keep your eyes peeled for lions, dragons and pandas amongst the red ribbon display.”

Back to the town hall for indoor performances

From 1pm through to 3.30pm, the town hall will welcome people for a celebration of China and the Chinese New Year.

There will be lion dances, Chinese dances, Gongfu performances, music performed on Chinese instruments and more.

Tickets for this performance cost £10, and can be bought by visiting What’s On Reading or on the doors for £12.50.

For more details, log on to: https://whatsonreading.com/venues/town-hall/whats-on/chinese-new-year-celebration-1

All workshops and outdoor performances are free for anyone to show up on the day and enjoy. Want to find out more? Read about the success of last year’s event here. We hope to see you there!