Worcester Chinese Association and educational charity Engage with China are delighted to team up again with the Museum of Royal Worcester and Royal Porcelain Works, to celebrate the Year of the Dragon in style on Sunday 18 February, 11am – 4pm.
Worcester’s well-loved Chinese New Year celebrations are taking place for the second year at The Museum of Royal Worcester and Henry Sandon Hall. Lots of free family activities are on offer for all ages, including tea-tasting and a traditional Chinese tea ceremony. The traditional Dragon Dance will be at 12.30pm on Severn Street (the road will be closed during the performance) and there will be martial arts demonstrations by Worcester-based Kui De Tang Kung Fu school. A special treat for this year is a Chinese music performance by soprano Wang Chen and Guo Yue on flute, who are on their UK tour. Pom Pom the Giant Panda will even be on hand to greet visitors.
Across the day, visitors can explore family-friendly arts and crafts inspired by Chinese New Year traditions, including calligraphy, paper cutting and origami. The Museum’s Paint-Your-Own-Pottery studio will also be open for adults and children to paint a range of Year of the Dragon ceramic shapes, from £12 per person, to be booked in advance.
Frankie Tsang, Chair of Worcestershire Chinese Association, said:
‘We are looking forward to welcoming Worcestershire’s communities on Sunday 18 February to help celebrate Chinese New Year. I am proud to say we have organised Chinese New Year celebrations for 24 years in the city. I established the Association in 1999 to bring Chinese culture alive and to bridge understanding between the Chinese and local communities.’
Sophie Heath, Museum Director, said:
‘Our Museum team have enjoyed learning how to prepare a Chinese tea ceremony to offer visitors a taste of traditional Chinese culture. We will have lots of arts and crafts activities inspired by China and its New Year festival for families to join in with. Inspiration from China holds a special place in the heart of the Museum, and it is a delight to connect visitors with the story of tea-drinking in the UK originating from China and share the stories of the pieces that owe their shape and decoration to Chinese art and design.’
H-J Colston-Inge, Director of educational charity, Engage with China, said:
‘We are a proud partner of this annual Chinese New Year event in Worcestershire and are delighted to grow the event and wider participation. Building China literacy in UK schools is at the heart of what we do. This free cultural event means that children and families can get up close and personal with China and its culture and our links with China over hundreds of years. Audiences are always delighted and intrigued by what they learn and the activities on offer.’
Kathy Leather, General Manager at The Royal Porcelain Works, said:
‘The celebrations are one of the highlights in the Royal Porcelain Works calendar. It is a fantastic collaboration, with students from the University of Worcester and Christopher Whitehead Language College, who are learning mandarin, all getting involved and inspiring creativity and connecting our local communities.’
You can find out more about Worcester’s Chinese New Year celebrations and make a booking to paint Year of the Dragon shapes, on the Museum website www.museumofroyalworcester.org/whats-on