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)