Chinese New Year in Manchester
Chinese New Year in Manchester. Photo: CityCo.

Chinese New Year in Manchester

Creative Tourist

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 Rabbit, 2023 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 accompanied by dancers, Chinese Opera performers, zodiac animals and ancient army characters.

Dazzling explosions of colour everywhere you look – expect acrobatics, singing, poetry reading and dancing happening throughout the day, as well as free family events taking place in Central Library and Manchester Art Gallery.

The celebrations also present a great opportunity to stop for a bite to eat in one of the city’s best Chinese restaurants (find our top picks of those below). Our call is to get down to Chinatown early, take a seat, order some delicious food and soak in the festivities as Manchester rings in the Lunar New Year.

Here are our picks

  • 1. Manchester Central Library

    Manchester Central Library
    Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net). [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

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

    Take your pick from Chinese new Year-themed craft sessions, performances and workshops in the beautiful surroundings of Central Library.

  • 2. Manchester Art Gallery

    Manchester Art Gallery. Photo by Andrew Brooks
    Andrew Brooks

    Manchester Art Gallery, Mosley Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M2 3JL - Visit now

    Celebrate the Year of the Rabbit with a bunny-inspired trail, artist-led craft sessions and Chinese calligraphy cake decorating.

  • 3. Yang Sing

    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 forty years.

  • 4. Sweet Mandarin

    Sweet Mandarin

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

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

  • 5. 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.