Southampton Lantern Festival

The University of Southampton along with the local Chinese associations organised a big celebration for the Lantern Festival – one of the celebrations of the Chinese New Year on 17th February 2019. At John Hansard Gallery, the hands-on workshops of lantern making and Chinese brush writing of ‘Fu (good luck)’ attracted great interest of around 600 participants.

Thousand members of public enjoyed watching the traditional Tai Chi performance and lion dancing at the Guildhall Square before joining the dragon parade through the streets of the city centre with many carrying their lanterns from the workshops and children sitting on their parents’ shoulders.
The event has provided a good chance for local people to experience and learn the Chinese culture.