Newry Celebrates Chinese New Year - The Year of the Tiger

Saying goodbye to the Ox, we entered the Year of the Tiger on 1 February 2022. 

To mark the occasion, Newry DEA Forum in association with Newry BID, celebrated Chinese New Year with a colourful display of dance and music performed by the Arts Ekta Chinese Lion, in both The Buttercrane and The Quays shopping centres.

The lion dance is a traditional Chinese art performance for good luck, as it is believed that the lion is an auspicious animal. Accompanied by the music of beating drums, clashing cymbals, and resounding gongs, the dances demonstrate martial arts agility.

Councillor Charlie Casey, Chairperson of Newry DEA Forum, who attended the Chinese New Year celebrations said, “Newry is a culturally diverse city, we are delighted to celebrate Chinese New Year in an inclusive way with all members of our community. The dance performances today were a fun and colourful celebration of a culture which dates back over 3,500 years.”

The Chinese celebrations in Newry were supported by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council’s Good Relations Programme and Newry BID. Performances in both The Buttercrane and The Quays shopping centres, enabled all members of the community to celebrate Chinese culture.