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Chinese Association of Woking (CAW), supported by Woking Borough Council, will be celebrating the Chinese New Year of the Pig in Woking town centre on Saturday 9 February 2019.
Chinese New Year, or the 'Spring Festival' as it is known in China, marks the start of a new spring each year in the Chinese lunar calendar. The Chinese New Year festivities are celebrated for two weeks and on the 15th day of the New Year, the celebrations will be brought to a close by the Lantern Festival. In 2019, the Earth Pig, which is the twelfth sign of the Chinese zodiac, will bring us joy, friendship and success in all the spheres of life.
Woking town centre will be enlivened by colourful parades and exhibitions. The parade will start its journey outside Christchurch on Mercia Walk at 12pm, which will proceed towards Commercial Way [east to junction with Church Path (end of pedestrian area), then west to the start of Victoria Square development], then back to Mercia Walk, across Jubilee Square, up Gloucester Walk to Gloucester Square, before returning to stop at Woking Library and finally arriving at Jubilee Square* where the shows will take place.
There will be two shows, which will showcase some of the traditional festivities celebrated around the world during Chinese New Year: the lion dance, Chinese classical dancing, martial arts, tai chi and more. The first show will commence at 12:45pm and the second show at 2pm. The celebrations will end at 3pm.
As well as the shows, Mercia Walk will be transformed into traditional Chinese market stalls between 10am and 3pm including arts and crafts, calligraphy, Chinese food and lots more.
The Chinese New Year will also be celebrated at the nearby Children’s Chinese Library located inside the Woking Library (Gloucester Walk) where story time will be scheduled for all to enjoy. The festivities coincide with the 2nd anniversary of the Children’s Chinese Library. This project is the collaboration between Surrey Libraries and CAW, which stocks over 1,000 authentic copies of Chinese picture books, graded reading books, classic Chinese children’s novels, books on Chinese myth, history, culture, calligraphy, literature etc; catering for readers from toddlers to young adults.
Members of the public are welcome to join CAW members celebrate the Chinese New Year in Woking town square. Catch the action at the beginning of the parade at 12pm, when the Chinese lions kick starts the procession through the town centre.
For more information about the event please contact us at info@cawoking.org.uk
*In the event of adverse weather condition, the shows will be relocated to Mercia Walk.