The Dragon Parade

Creative Tourist

Visit now

The Dragon Parade

2 February 2025

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

The Dragon Parade, Chinatown Celebrations and Fireworks
Image courtesy of CityCo / Carl Sukonik.
Book now

The showstopping highlight of Manchester’s Chinese New Year celebrations sees Chinatown and the city centre erupt with colour, music, performance and the legendary Dragon Parade.

Gather from 12 noon on 2 February to follow the dazzling 175-foot Dragon as it makes its dramatic way to Chinatown.

Welcoming the Year of the Snake, 2025 marks the return of the legendary Dragon Parade to Manchester City Centre, snaking its way through the streets along with traditional Lion and Ribbon dances, Chinese Opera performers, 12 Zodiac animals and ancient army characters.

Chinese dragons, Manchester

Celebrations continue in Chinatown itself – we expect the usual classical Chinese lion dances, martial arts, music, acrobatics and more dancing. Street food can also be found here and our top tip, if you fancy a seated approach, is to get down early and bagsy a table with the best views of the parade and all the celebrations on the first floors of the restaurants lining George Street, Nicholas Street and Faulkner Street.

This is the sort of event that Manchester does so well – especially for families – with plenty of thrilling activity alongside great locations like the Art Gallery, Library and many great restaurants of Chinatown to duck into and explore on the way.

Where to go near The Dragon Parade

The Abbey
Manchester
Restaurant
The Abbey

Historic Hulme pub with a very good live gig space, brought to you by the very capable team behind YES, Gorilla, Now Wave and Manchester Psych Fest.

Manchester
Bar or Pub
Pigeon Beer Wanderer

Pigeon Beer Wanderer brings wine-level ceremony to Manchester’s new “Beermuda Triangle”, courtesy of Joshua Lightfoot and his crack team of booze experts.

Image courtesy of Unitom.
Castlefield
Gallery
UNITOM Projects

The exhibition arm of Manchester indie bookshop UNITOM is a dedicated space for contemporary visual culture in the St John’s neighbourhood.

City Centre
Restaurant
Portfolio

Portfolio is a Champagne boutique on Manchester’s Bridge Street, offering a set menu of fine-dining small bites.

Manchester
Gallery
Bridge 5 Mill

Bridge 5 Mill is a sustainable event space and community hub on Beswick Street in Ancoats, hosting independent cultural projects and ethical supper clubs.

1853 gallery 1
Manchester
Gallery
1853 Studios

1853 Studios and Gallery is a Creative Studios and community of creative professionals occupying the 3rd floors of Osborne Mill, Oldham.

Deansgate
Restaurant
Podium

Podium delivers high-end, seasonal dishes, largely geared around produce and ideas from the British Isles, but with a few deft twists and turns.

Tai Wu
Manchester
Restaurant
Tai Wu

Long-standing, trend-swerving Chinese restaurant on Manchester’s Upper Brook Street, with a reputation for authentic dim sum and traditional Cantonese cuisine.

Manchester
Food hall
BAB Korean Food

A highlight of Manchester’s K-Food space, Bab Korean Food serves up authentic, well-made dishes at the Kargo MKT food hall in MediaCity.

Dimitri's
Castlefield
Restaurant
Dimitri’s

Longstanding Greek taverna Dimtri’s delivers traditional, fuss-free Greek food, aimed at everyone from courting couples to multi-generational families in Manchester.

Kong's NQ
Manchester
Restaurant
Kong’s NQ

Kong’s isn’t like other chicken shops. This much-loved Northern Quarter restaurant is all about high-grade ingredients and expert preparation.

What's on: Families

Culture Guides

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre

Discover the summer's most rewarding theatre in libraries, pubs, Fringe venues and unexpected spaces across the North.

“the ripple” artwork by Crowns & Owls courtesy of Good Machine.
Music

From post-industrial romance to experimental country, here's a hot new batch of weird gigs in small venues.

Blue triangles with white clouds on them against a beige backdrop. A gold sun is in the middle.
Exhibitions

Five exhibitions worth your time this month - and between them, a lot of ground covered.

Food and Drink in the North

It's heatwave time, so set your small talk phasers to 'weather' and get out there and grab some cold drinks and delicious food.

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night
Cinema in the North

There's no shortage of great films out at the moment, whether you're looking for the latest blockbuster, that hot arthouse flick fresh from Cannes or a cosy classic.

Emily Lloyd-Saini as Grace in Space and Harrie Hayes as Lieutenant Strong in Horrible Science
Family things to do in the North

Whether you’re after storybook theatre, museum wanderings or illusion-bending play spaces, there’s plenty to keep curiosity ticking through winter and beyond.