UK embracing Year of the Snake celebrations

A rich variety of Spring Festival celebrations await people in the United Kingdom wanting to mark the start of the Year of the Snake. 

Spring Festival events have been well-received in many places across the country and have attracted increasingly large numbers of British people wanting to experience Chinese culture, said Zhao Fei, minister from China's embassy in the UK, who spoke at a launch ceremony at the embassy's cultural sector on Thursday. 

UNESCO listed Spring Festival, which is the Chinese people's celebration of the Chinese New Year, on its intangible cultural heritage register in December 2024, which makes this year's Spring Festival extra special, Zhao added. 

Chinese New Year falls on Jan 29 this year and, in the UK capital, the London Eye will glitter in red on Jan 28 to usher in the start of the Year of the Snake. A lion dance will also be performed in the square next to the landmark as part of an event co-hosted by the London Chinatown Chinese Association, or LCCA, and London Eye. 

Tens of thousands of people are expected to join in a festival on Feb 2 organized by the LCCA that will include a parade of floats, performances on a stage in Trafalgar Square, and stalls offering food in London's Chinatown. 

To add to the joy in the capital, 50 London buses will carry posters emblazoned with "Hello China" and an image of a zodiac snake as they pass landmarks, including Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly, and St Paul's Cathedral, offering seasonal greetings to the people of both countries. 

Camden Market will have a Spring Festival event for the first time on Feb 1 that will offer performances from Chinese acrobatics, magic shows, folk dancing, and a boat parade. The celebration will combine Chinese culture and the features of the neighborhood to offer visitors a special experience, according to Abdul Hai, director of community relations at Labs Group. 

Outside London, festivities will roll out in places including Bristol, Edinburgh, and the island of Jersey. 

Karen Garvey, program officer at Bristol Museum, said Spring Festival is a highlight of the museum's calendar. 

"It has now grown into not just the biggest event of the museum, but the biggest event of its kind in southwest England," Garvey said in an online comment. 

The museum has prepared a packed program of colorful events, including martial arts demonstrations, lion dances, craft activities, and opportunities for visitors to learn about snakes and about Chinese heritage and culture. 

As part of the launch ceremony, examples of world-level intangible cultural heritage were presented, including guqin, kunqu, tai chi, acupuncture, calligraphy, and paper-cutting. 

Paddy Rodgers, director and CEO of Royal Museums Greenwich, said Spring Festival events in the UK have much to offer. 

"Let's look forward to a great Year of the Snake for closer cultural relationships between the UK and China. It's great opportunity for us all," he said.