
Chinese New Year celebrations in the District for the Year of the Dog!
Each year, Birmingham Hippodrome co-produces the Southside Chinese New Year celebrations, alongside the Chinese Festival Committee.
This year, the celebrations are expanding, and we are delighted to announce that Colmore BID are sponsoring the activity that will take place around the District on Friday 16th February, to celebrate the year of the dog.
As part of the day’s festivities, there will be a concert in the Cathedral performed by the Birmingham Conservatoire. This will be a Chinese Folk Quartet and Classical Pianist and will take place from 1-2pm. This concert is free to attend. (subject to availability)
The Chinese Lion will also be in the District, performing and visiting businesses to wish them wealth and prosperity for the coming year. If you would like the Lion to visit your business on this day, please get in touch.
Of course, there will be the usual celebrations in Southside on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th February. (See below)
Programme Activity
Friday 16th February
Colmore Row / Cathedral / Cathedral Gardens
12.00pm Lion Performance around the District
12:45pm Lion enters Cathedral Gardens and moves into the Cathedral
1:00pm Short introduction from James Wong
Conservatoire concert – Chinese Folk Quartet and Classical Pianist (1 hour concert)
2:00pm Lion dance back from Cathedral, through gardens and onto Colmore Row – Visits to businesses to wish good luck
2.00pm Reception at Chung Ying Central
Saturday 17th February
Bull, Bullring, Grand Central
12:00pm Lion dance at the Bull figure / PR / Launch moment
1.00pm Rosie Kay ‘Modern Warrior’ performance featuring professional dancers and members from community groups from Chinese Community Centre Birmingham. To be held outside Debenhams, ground floor of Bullring (30mins)
2.00pm Conservatoire performance of classical Chinese music. Held outside Debenhams, ground floor of Bullring. (30 mins)
3.00pm Lion Dance lap of Grand Central (20 – 30 mins)
Sunday 18th February – Main Festival Day
Festival Site – Southside Square, Hurst Street, Inge Street, Arcadian, Hippodrome Foyers and Patrick Studio
Mainstage – situated within new pedestrianised area of Hurst Street
12:00pm Opening Ceremony, speeches, lion dances and firecrackers (30 mins)
12:30pm Rosie Kay Modern Warrior performance (30 mins)
1.00pm to 3:30pm Various performances from professional Chinese artists and local community groups. Professional acts include acrobats, circus acts, contortionists and fire performers
3:30pm Rosie Kay Modern Warrior performance (30 mins)
4:00pm Closing ceremony, with speeches, lion dances and firecrackers
Arcadian Centre – Second stage and food stalls
12:30pm to 3:30pm – Second stage activity – karaoke, stilt walkers, lion / dragon dances
Performances will be FREE but ticketed by Hippodrome
12:30pm Conservatoire classical Chinese music performance (30mins)
1:00pm Conservatoire classical Chinese music showcase (30mins)
1:45pm Birmingham Royal Ballet, Sleeping Beauty excerpt (5 – 10 mins)
2:45pm – Birmingham Royal Ballet, Sleeping Beauty excerpt (5 – 10 mins)
3:00pm – Conservatoire classical Chinese music showcase (30mins)
Hippodrome Foyers and Atrium Space
11:30am – 4:00pm – theatre foyers – FREE craft workshops aimed at families. Make and take workshops to create your own Chinese calligraphy / graffiti dog, Chinese masks, spiral dragons, lanterns and drums.
Atrium space – Birmingham Royal Ballet area, featuring meet and greet with some dancers, exhibition area and costumes.
YEAR OF THE DOG
2018 is a Year of the Dog. In Chinese astrology, each year is related to a Chinese zodiac animal according to the 12-year cycle. 2018 is an Earth Dog Year.
Years of the Dog include 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, and 2030… The Dog occupies the eleventh position in the Chinese zodiac, after the Rooster, and before the Pig.
If you’re born in a Dog year, the following are deemed lucky for you: 3, 4, 9,
You’re lucky colours are Green, red and purple, and you lucy flowers are rose and cymbidium orchids.
Dogs are loyal and honest, amiable and kind, cautious and prudent. Due to having a strong sense of loyalty and sincerity, Dogs will do everything for the person who they think is most important.
As Dogs are not good at communication, it is difficult for them to convey their thoughts to others. Therefore, Dogs tend to leave others with the impression that they have a stubborn personality.
Born with a good nature, Dogs do not tend to be criminals or seek dishonest gains. They just need a quiet life and a good family and, therefore, forget the ugliness and evil on Earth.
Dogs are always ready to help others and do not care about their own interests, but if they find themselves betrayed by cunning people they will feel shocked and hurt.
When thrown into doubt, Dogs think the world is evil and complicated. Then they criticize sharply when giving comments on something, and infer all things are according to their pessimistic point of view.
(Source: China Highlights)