Chinese New Year - London

zenmaster

We are coming up to London at the weekend for the Chinese New Year celebrations.

Any tips please?

sparrer

Try these -

http://chinatownchinese.co.uk/

http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/whatson/chinese-new-year-london-feature-542.html

Enjoy!

(board guide I hope it's okay to post this link, I don't have any connection with it!)

Zziggi

Has anyone been to this event in previous years? WHat was it like? worth going? Suitable for kids (7 & 5yrs old)? Really crowded?

thanks in advance

zenmaster

sparrer wrote: »

Try these -

http://chinatownchinese.co.uk/

http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/whatson/chinese-new-year-london-feature-542.html

Enjoy!

(board guide I hope it's okay to post this link, I don't have any connection with it!)

Thanks. I've seen the first link and the second one doesn't work . I was really after some sneaky tips from someone who has been before like places to definitely go/avoid.

Zziggi wrote: »

Has anyone been to this event in previous years? WHat was it like? worth going? Suitable for kids (7 & 5yrs old)? Really crowded?

thanks in advance

I've obviously not been before but it was highly recommended by a friend (not Chinese) which is why we are making the trip (plus we got a £19 Travelodge ).

Apparently there were 300,000 people there last year which sounds a lot to me. I'm not sure I would risk it with little kids but hopefully someone who has been before will come along and provide all the information we need.

kb36

We went last year with our 8 and 5 year old. What I would recommend are the activities and events taking place in Trafalgar Square as there was room to manouevre with kids and actually see something: dragons, traditional dancing and so on. I'm not quite sure what the programme of events is this year.

I would avoid Chinatown, Leicester Square and the surrounding roads etc where they normally have the fireworks as it was a disaster last year (for us anyway). There were areas that had been made into one way only pedestrain areas and you were all herded round the long way to see anything and could not escape. Chinatown is beautifully decorated but the fireworks are more about the noise and smoke rather than colours and oohs and aahs-not the sort of fireworks you would see on 5th Nov.

In my opinion if you stick with Trafalgar square you will see great entertainment and enjoy yourselves. Chinese food carts there too for a bite to eat.

baby_fuzz

zenmaster wrote: »

We are coming up to London at the weekend for the Chinese New Year celebrations.

Any tips please?

keep kids on a tight leash (preferably an actual leash!!!)!

It's gets pretty hectic... Keep an eye out for:
lion dance, dragon dance, unicorn dance (maybe).
Sample some noodle soup in a cramped noodle shop with roast duck hanging in the window.
Explore the chinese supermarkets and make fun of the weird-looking veg.
Buy some weird-looking veg, and learn how to cook it!
Go into a chinese pound shop and come out with armfuls of rubbish that you don't need, but have hello kitty on them.

Hope that is enough to get you started!:j