Chinese New Year in Manchester

Creative Tourist Last Updated 23 January 2025

Chinese New Year is always a colourful cultural highlight, bringing brightness to the dark winter days here in the UK. This is especially true for a city like Manchester, whose Chinatown buzzes all year round but becomes a hive of activity and celebration come New Year.

Welcoming the Year of the Snake, 2025 marks the return of the legendary Dragon Parade to Manchester City Centre alongside all of the usual Chinatown celebrations. Vibrant and cheerful, thousands of red lanterns decorate the city’s trees while the dragon snakes its way through the streets along with traditional Lion and Ribbon dances and 12 Zodiac animals and ancient army characters.

And there’s loads more going on in arts and cultural venues around the city, including dedicated dance performances, free family events and arts workshops where you can get creative and learn new skills. The celebration also presents a great opportunity to stop for a bite to eat in one of the city’s best Chinese restaurants before soaking in the festivities.

Here are our top picks of those, as Manchester prepares to ring in the Lunar New Year.

Manchester Central Library

Manchester Central Library, St Peter's Square, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M2 5PD - Visit now

Head to Manchester Central Library from 11:00 to 4:00pm on 1 and 2 February for a spectacular celebration of the Year of the Snake. Bringing together Eastern and Western traditions, this family-friendly event includes The Hanfu Show, where local performers will showcase the elegance of traditional Chinese clothing while offering a glimpse into the rich cultural heritage of China.

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Yang Sing

Yang Sing, 34 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 4JY - Visit now

One of the most well-known Chinese restaurants in Manchester, Yang Sing has been feeding Mancunians for 40 years.

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Sweet Mandarin

Sweet Mandarin, 19 Copperas St, Manchester, M4 1HS - Visit now

This Gordon Ramsay-approved Northern Quarter restaurant is run by three sisters, and features some of the city’s finest Chinese cuisine.

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Tattu

Tattu, Gartside Street, 3 Hardman Square, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M3 3EB - Visit now

Tattu has an indoor (artificial) blossom tree and the whole concept behind this innovative Chinese restaurant is equally lavish.

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