Welcoming the Year of the Brown Dog in London

The New Year celebrations might be over for many of us and going back to work after a festive couple of weeks can be a little downer but do not worry, there are still plenty to celebrate! There are two very special days ahead of us in February and one of them is the Chinese New Year and the other one will be another story so stay tuned:) To us it can be 2018 already but on the Chinese Lunar Calendar the new year is still yet to come. This year the 16th of February is the first day of the Dog year, well more specifically the Brown Dog Year(I will provide a link which explains it better). If you are in London on the following Sunday of the new year, 18th of February, I would say do not miss this unique celebration.

Each year London's West End hosts many activities for thousands of people to enjoy from a colorful parade to free stage performances filled with traditional dances and songs in Trafalgar Square. Throughout the entire celebration day you may taste traditional Chinese food or buy toys for your kid or maybe yourself even!(I've done it last year)

On the 18th of February the celebrations kick off at 10 am with a lively parade starting from Charing Cross Road and moving into Chinatown. There are many teams participating in the parade and it is a total color fest. From 12 pm onwards you can catch the shows on the big stage in Trafalgar Square with friends and family. If you get hungry or want a drink you can either stroll down to Chinatown or try some traditional street food from the stands around the square. ıf you are interested in the Chinese culture and want to learn more make sure that you stop by the Leicester Square family-zone or the Charing Cross Road community-zone.

Each year to mark the end of the celebrations there is a pyrotechnic display which lights up the Trafalgar Square so make sure to stop by end see the light show even if you miss the daytime activities.

And if you would like to know more about the year of the Dog or other Chinese lunar sign you may visit: https://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/social_customs/zodiac/dog.htm

Happy New Year! 新年快乐 / 新年快樂