Based on legends that detail of people defeating wicked mythical beasts with firecrackers (particularly the dragon serpent Nian), the Chinese New Year also provides time to remember ancestors, enjoy traditional food, and pay respects to the gods. Traditionally, the build-up lasts weeks, with families making peace with people, paying debt, cleaning up their houses to ward off evil spirits and bring in luck for the new year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Across the world, Chinese New Year is brought in with beating drums, fireworks, and crashing cymbals. In many places, it\u2019s the most extravagant party of the year drawing in people from all cultures. While the new year is always a wild time, some cities take the festivities to the absolute extreme. Here are a few of the weirdest and most wonderful Chinese New Year 2023 celebrations across the globe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chinese New Year 2023 in Beijing<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Chinese](\"https:\/\/seeker.io\/article\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_128657354.jpg\")
Beijing, China. Hung Chung Chih \/ Shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nIsn’t a shocker that China is one of the best countries to celebrate the Lunar New Year<\/a> around the world. People dream of seeing in the Chinese New Year in China, and those who celebrate there won\u2019t be disappointed. Shanghai, the financial capital, pulls out all the stops with dazzling lantern displays across the city and fireworks every evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSome of the biggest shenanigans happen in the capital, and the place to be is Atmosphere Bar, where you see the extravagant fireworks display from the World China Summit Wing. Countless people head out of the city to ice skate around sculptures at the snow festival, many of which are in the shape of that year\u2019s lunar animal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s a real community feel to Chinese New Year in Beijing<\/a>, and most people head to Ditan Park where historic reenactments happen every day, along with other performances and plenty of hearty food to keep everyone warm. There are Temple Night Markets through the month, which carry on the fun, and are a firm favourite of locals and visitors alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\nChinese New Year 2023 in Hong Kong<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Chinese](\"https:\/\/seeker.io\/article\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_374052637.jpg\")
Victoria Park, Hong Kong, China. coloursinmylife \/ Shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nHong Kong goes all out for new year with floats, the classic dragon parade, and a Lunar New Year fair<\/a>. The harbour lights up with a huge fireworks display and international and local performers take the stage to sing. One of the most unusual and world-famous parts of Hong Kong\u2019s festivities, however, takes place at the Sha Tin Racecourse on the third day of the New Year. Here, people take a chance on their new year\u2019s luck and place bets on the horses. Hong Kong Disney throws its own events too, making a for a truly unique new year experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\nChinese New Year 2023 in London<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/seeker.io\/article\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_1030247818.jpg\")
London, England. Sharad Raval \/ Shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nChinatown in London is always great fun, but during new year it ignites and takes the stage as the biggest Chinese New Year festival in Europe<\/a> with hundreds of thousands of people attending every year.<\/p>\n\n\n\nExtending to Trafalgar Square, you can enjoy stage performances all day, which include vibrant musical and theatre shows extending through the West End theatre district. There are hundreds of street food stalls to choose from and the festivities conclude with a huge dragon parade. It takes fifty teams manning the floats and controlling the huge dragon and lion figures that snake through the city to the sound of gongs, music, and cymbals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While you are in London, check out our guide of other great ways to enjoy London in the winter.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nChinese New Year 2023 in Manchester<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/seeker.io\/article\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_1027485961.jpg\")
Mancester, UK. Sam foster \/ Shutterstock.com.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nEqually electrifying in the north of the UK, Manchester’s Chinese New Year <\/a>holds its own celebration featuring a giant piglet, a golden dragon, and a dragon parade that has become legendary due to the 175-foot dragon that performs from Albert Square to Chinatown every year. Like London, the festivities last all day with traditional lion dances, street food, stalls, and live music.<\/p>\n\n\n\nChinese New Year 2023 in Singapore<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/seeker.io\/article\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_571119007.jpg\")
Singapore. Sam’s Studio \/ Shutterstock.com.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re looking for the largest street performance and float parade in Asia, then Singapore’s Chinese New Year<\/a> is the place to find it. Starting with the famous Chingay Parade at the F1 Pit Building, a flurry of clowns, dancers, acrobats, jugglers, and other performers act out the key myths of Chinese New Year and leave the crowd in high spirits. Things get even more impressive down at River Hongbao in Marina Bar where they hold opening night events, the new year countdown party with an incredible fireworks display, and giant lanterns that depict figures of Chinese legends, dragons, the zodiac animals, and gods that float down the nearby river.<\/p>\n\n\n\nChinese New Year 2023 in New York<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/seeker.io\/article\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/iStock-467528183.jpg\")
New York, NY. Ultima_Gaina \/ istockphoto.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nMany cities in the USA go all out when it comes to Chinese New Year, but the biggest celebrations are by far the ones in New York and San Francisco.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In New York<\/a>, you can expect to see martial arts performers, dancers, colourful outfits, and a dragon parade that heads down Mott and Canal Street on to East Broadway, Manhattan Bridge, Sara D. Roosevelt Park, and ends on Grand Street. It’s almost impossible to miss the gigantic and gorgeous display of music, dancers, floats, and dragons.<\/p>\n\n\n\nChinese New Year 2023 in San Francisco<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/seeker.io\/article\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/iStock-1079843572.jpg\")
San Francisco, CA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nSan Francisco also holds one of the largest Chinese New Year celebrations<\/a> in the world with events that last almost two weeks after the initial festival day. The huge parade that\u2019s thrown by Southwestern Airlines includes a heady mix of folk dancers, floats, stilt walkers, marching bands and a 268-foot-long golden dragon. The crowds are intense, so there is even bleacher seating for people to watch the show in comfort.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe evening ends with a stunning fireworks display. Aside from the parade, San Francisco is also home to fun experiences like the New Year Flower Fair and a street fair that last for weeks. One of the more unique events is the Miss Chinatown USA pageant with a coronation ball later in the month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chinese New Year 2023 in Sydney<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/seeker.io\/article\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_567119407.jpg\")
Sydney, Australia. katacarix \/ Shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nTry to find a more exciting place to be than Sydney on Chinese New Year<\/a>. Their Chinatown district turns into party central for 17 days after the New Year celebration. Fireworks are thrown every weekend for three weeks, and the Chinese street food and markets last for the entire month. Incredibly, you\u2019ll find dragon boat races on Darling Harbour and animal lanterns up to 15 metres tall lining the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThere\u2019s live karaoke on top of Harbour bridge, which anyone can get involved in, and live performances of contemporary dance, traditional dance, and martial arts. More than 80 events collaborate to celebrate Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Vietnamese culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chinese New Year 2023 in Melbourne<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/seeker.io\/article\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/iStock-484327629.jpg\")
Melbourne, Australia. Onfokus \/ istockphoto.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThey don\u2019t fall too far behind in celebrating the Chinese New Year in Melbourne<\/a>, with light installations that flow down the Yarra River and a lantern parade. Three hundred performers light up the ten days of celebration, including flash mobs, magicians and a Chinese square dance competition. Street food and markets make this a really wholesome and fun-focused new year celebration that lasts the whole traditional period.<\/p>\n\n\n\nChinese New Year 2023 in Paris<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/seeker.io\/article\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/iStock-458123165.jpg\")
Paris, France. isaxar \/ istockphoto.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nIn Paris for Chinese New Year<\/a>? Then you\u2019re going to be in for a great time with celebrations lasting two weeks. The party kicks off with their famous \u2018opening of the dragon\u2019s eye\u2019 ceremony (which is exactly what it sounds like, just with more firecrackers), and continues with a parade of brimming dragons, firecrackers, and bright orange koi fish. Everything happens around the Champs-Elys\u00e9es, making for an awesome backdrop to spectacular street festivals. The performers here really go all out with their costumes, and Paris turns into a wash of colour that lasts for weeks after the celebration ends. Even the Eiffel Tower joins in as it glows red through the period and shop fronts are adorned in red and gold.<\/p>\n\n\n\nChinese New Year 2023 in Bangkok<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/seeker.io\/article\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_553255942.jpg\")
Bangkok, Thailand. cowardlion \/ Shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Isn’t a shocker that China is one of the best countries to celebrate the Lunar New Year<\/a> around the world. People dream of seeing in the Chinese New Year in China, and those who celebrate there won\u2019t be disappointed. Shanghai, the financial capital, pulls out all the stops with dazzling lantern displays across the city and fireworks every evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of the biggest shenanigans happen in the capital, and the place to be is Atmosphere Bar, where you see the extravagant fireworks display from the World China Summit Wing. Countless people head out of the city to ice skate around sculptures at the snow festival, many of which are in the shape of that year\u2019s lunar animal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s a real community feel to Chinese New Year in Beijing<\/a>, and most people head to Ditan Park where historic reenactments happen every day, along with other performances and plenty of hearty food to keep everyone warm. There are Temple Night Markets through the month, which carry on the fun, and are a firm favourite of locals and visitors alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hong Kong goes all out for new year with floats, the classic dragon parade, and a Lunar New Year fair<\/a>. The harbour lights up with a huge fireworks display and international and local performers take the stage to sing. One of the most unusual and world-famous parts of Hong Kong\u2019s festivities, however, takes place at the Sha Tin Racecourse on the third day of the New Year. Here, people take a chance on their new year\u2019s luck and place bets on the horses. Hong Kong Disney throws its own events too, making a for a truly unique new year experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chinatown in London is always great fun, but during new year it ignites and takes the stage as the biggest Chinese New Year festival in Europe<\/a> with hundreds of thousands of people attending every year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Extending to Trafalgar Square, you can enjoy stage performances all day, which include vibrant musical and theatre shows extending through the West End theatre district. There are hundreds of street food stalls to choose from and the festivities conclude with a huge dragon parade. It takes fifty teams manning the floats and controlling the huge dragon and lion figures that snake through the city to the sound of gongs, music, and cymbals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While you are in London, check out our guide of other great ways to enjoy London in the winter.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Equally electrifying in the north of the UK, Manchester’s Chinese New Year <\/a>holds its own celebration featuring a giant piglet, a golden dragon, and a dragon parade that has become legendary due to the 175-foot dragon that performs from Albert Square to Chinatown every year. Like London, the festivities last all day with traditional lion dances, street food, stalls, and live music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re looking for the largest street performance and float parade in Asia, then Singapore’s Chinese New Year<\/a> is the place to find it. Starting with the famous Chingay Parade at the F1 Pit Building, a flurry of clowns, dancers, acrobats, jugglers, and other performers act out the key myths of Chinese New Year and leave the crowd in high spirits. Things get even more impressive down at River Hongbao in Marina Bar where they hold opening night events, the new year countdown party with an incredible fireworks display, and giant lanterns that depict figures of Chinese legends, dragons, the zodiac animals, and gods that float down the nearby river.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many cities in the USA go all out when it comes to Chinese New Year, but the biggest celebrations are by far the ones in New York and San Francisco.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In New York<\/a>, you can expect to see martial arts performers, dancers, colourful outfits, and a dragon parade that heads down Mott and Canal Street on to East Broadway, Manhattan Bridge, Sara D. Roosevelt Park, and ends on Grand Street. It’s almost impossible to miss the gigantic and gorgeous display of music, dancers, floats, and dragons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n San Francisco also holds one of the largest Chinese New Year celebrations<\/a> in the world with events that last almost two weeks after the initial festival day. The huge parade that\u2019s thrown by Southwestern Airlines includes a heady mix of folk dancers, floats, stilt walkers, marching bands and a 268-foot-long golden dragon. The crowds are intense, so there is even bleacher seating for people to watch the show in comfort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The evening ends with a stunning fireworks display. Aside from the parade, San Francisco is also home to fun experiences like the New Year Flower Fair and a street fair that last for weeks. One of the more unique events is the Miss Chinatown USA pageant with a coronation ball later in the month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Try to find a more exciting place to be than Sydney on Chinese New Year<\/a>. Their Chinatown district turns into party central for 17 days after the New Year celebration. Fireworks are thrown every weekend for three weeks, and the Chinese street food and markets last for the entire month. Incredibly, you\u2019ll find dragon boat races on Darling Harbour and animal lanterns up to 15 metres tall lining the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s live karaoke on top of Harbour bridge, which anyone can get involved in, and live performances of contemporary dance, traditional dance, and martial arts. More than 80 events collaborate to celebrate Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Vietnamese culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They don\u2019t fall too far behind in celebrating the Chinese New Year in Melbourne<\/a>, with light installations that flow down the Yarra River and a lantern parade. Three hundred performers light up the ten days of celebration, including flash mobs, magicians and a Chinese square dance competition. Street food and markets make this a really wholesome and fun-focused new year celebration that lasts the whole traditional period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Paris for Chinese New Year<\/a>? Then you\u2019re going to be in for a great time with celebrations lasting two weeks. The party kicks off with their famous \u2018opening of the dragon\u2019s eye\u2019 ceremony (which is exactly what it sounds like, just with more firecrackers), and continues with a parade of brimming dragons, firecrackers, and bright orange koi fish. Everything happens around the Champs-Elys\u00e9es, making for an awesome backdrop to spectacular street festivals. The performers here really go all out with their costumes, and Paris turns into a wash of colour that lasts for weeks after the celebration ends. Even the Eiffel Tower joins in as it glows red through the period and shop fronts are adorned in red and gold.<\/p>\n\n\n\nChinese New Year 2023 in Hong Kong<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Chinese New Year 2023 in London<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Chinese New Year 2023 in Manchester<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Chinese New Year 2023 in Singapore<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Chinese New Year 2023 in New York<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Chinese New Year 2023 in San Francisco<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Chinese New Year 2023 in Sydney<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Chinese New Year 2023 in Melbourne<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Chinese New Year 2023 in Paris<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Chinese New Year 2023 in Bangkok<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n