Friday 16th February 2018 was the lunar Chinese New Year - the beginning of the year of the dog. London supposedly holds the largest celebrations for this outside of Asia. There were a variety of events held at Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square and in China Town itself, all to the sound of drum beats and firecrackers. It is considered lucky to wear red and children are given red envelopes with money. Along with stalls selling Chinese articles and food you could find the odd freebie in Trafalgar Square, which opened once the parade had passed. There were a good few dragons dotted around the area, whilst Trafalgar Square hosted the main stage; complete with a full day of performances lined up. The red lanterns hung above the streets of China Town with throngs of people below made for an impressive sight. The whole of the area was very full of people, but it was nice to be a part of the Chinese New Year Celebrations. You will find long queues for the Chinese restaurants, so either plan for street food or go prepared. We also made the most of the National Gallery once Trafalgar Square closed for being at capacity. Events ran all day from 10am to 6pm and there was a lot to see spread around Soho.
Below are some of my best photos from a very full day out.
