Chinese New Year 2022 is on the horizon, and as always, Manchester has a whole week of celebrations lined up to mark the occasion.
While Manchester’s usual annual celebrations for Chinese New Year – also known as Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival – may be on a slightly smaller scale this year due to the COVID restrictions in place to allow visitors to safely enjoy the events, there’s still plenty happening across the city centre to help bring in the ‘Year of the Tiger’.
Chinese New Year is officially being celebrated in Manchester this year from Tuesday 1 – Sunday 6 February.
As mentioned, 2022 has been named the ‘Year of the Tiger’, and according to the Chinese zodiac, people born in this year are predicted to be brave, competitive, unpredictable, and confident – just like the animal.
To honour 2022’s animal namesake, a large-scale tiger art sculpture will take centre stage in St Ann’s Square as just one the events in the calendar.
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You may have also seen that thousands of red lanterns have started adorning the city’s streets, and you can also expect the chance to take in some spectacular live performances, feast on authentic street food, and a make the most of a funfair, plus some traditional lion and dragon dances over the course of the week too.
Here’s everything happening for Chinese New Year 2022 in Manchester.
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Chinese New Year is being celebrated in Manchester from Tuesday 1 – Sunday 6 February / Credit: Instagram (@chinesenewyearmcr)
The New Year Tiger
St Ann’s Square
Tuesday 1 – Sunday 6 February 2022
New for 2022, commissioned by Manchester BID, and created by Decordia Events, this jaw-dropping installation will be a structural take on the traditional tiger made from wood and recycled corrugated plastic.
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While we know that the tiger is a symbol of power in Chinese culture and is considered to be brave and forceful, this origami-like tiger sculpture, however, will give the ultimate illusion to those who lay their eyes on it, as it appears to be weak and made of paper, but in fact, it will remain tall and strong for the world to see.
The tiger’s inner structure will also playfully-match the stripes and markings of a real-life tiger, casting stunning shadows at night with surrounding lights.
Chinatown Celebrations
Chinatown
Sunday 6 February 2022
The iconic Chinatown arch in Manchester city centre / Credit: Visit Manchester
While sadly, popular annual events such as the parade and the firework finale will not be taking place in 2022 due to COVID restrictions, there’s still plenty to make the most of in Manchester city centre’s very-own Chinatown.
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Think live performances, workshops, street food, stalls, and a funfair, as well as the illuminated Dragon, and other family-friendly activities such as traditional lion dances, Chinese acrobatics, singing, poem reading, and Kung Fu.
Performances will take place from 11am – 7pm in Chinatown Car Park, and you can see the illuminated dragon on the hour from 4pm – 7pm in Chinatown itself.
It’s asked that you please wear a mask when possible at all Chinatown events.
The Door Opened: 1980s China
Manchester Central Library
26 January – 26 April 2022
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The Door Opened: 1980s China at Manchester Central Library, with photographs by Adrian Bradshaw / Credit: Manchester Central Library
Brought to Manchester Central Library by the Confucius Institute at The University of Manchester, from 26 January – 26 April, English photographer Adrian Bradshaw’s exhibition The Door Opened: 1980s China will feature a blend of candid and posed photographs exploring China in the 1980s.
Bradshaw went to Beijing as a student in 1984 just as everyday life was in flux, and caught up in the ferment of the time, he went on to spend three decades documenting the transformation of China as the vast nation changed and opened up to the world.
Photographs captured document everything from opulent fashion extravaganzas, to sentimental family excursions, as he captures the fleeting beauty and simplicity of everyday life.
It’s described as a vivid record of a pivotal period in modern history.
Jane McDonald at AO Arena, Manchester – tickets, times and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
The lovely people of Manchester are ‘Living The Dream’ because Wakefield wonder-woman Jane McDonald is bringing her tour to AO Arena.
Making her British TV screen debut nearly 30 years ago on The Cruise, before joining the Loose Women panel and going on to present a whole host of travel shows including Cruising with Jane McDonald, now this Wakefield legend returns to AO Arena.
This latest tour, named after her 2026 LP Living The Dream, will see Jane singing hits from both past and present including a couple of covers too.
Earlier this year, Jane’s Mighty Hoopla performance went viral online after she commanded the stage in a red leather jacket, donning a singular rainbow hair extension while belting out RAYE’s ‘Where Is My Husband!’
Audio North even got the opportunity to interview this legendary lady when she visited her hometown HMV store in Wakefield for an exclusive album signing – Oh look, it’s me!
The Wakefield wonder-woman’s latest album Living The Dream was released in March and considering the tour is named after this impressive LP, we’re sure fans can expect to hear quite a few tracks from this album.
Living The Dream
I’ll Not Be Beaten
You Don’t Know What You Got
Don’t Mind If I Do
The Hand That Leads Me
Ain’t Gonna Beg
I Will Always Love You
Islands in the Stream
Jolene
9 to 5
You’re My World
Where Is My Husband!
Let the Light In
Cake by the Ocean
Jai Ho!
APT.
Right Where I Belong
How Do I Move On
Beautiful Soul
All By Myself
You Still Lead Me
Of course, Jane also loves to cover a tune or two, and we’ll never forget her renditions of ‘Cake By The Ocean’, ‘Jai Ho’ or ‘APT.’.
What are the stage times for Jane McDonald in Manchester?
The doors for Jane McDonald’s Living The Dream Tour in Manchester are set for 6.30pm with the event set to start at 7.30pm.
AO Arena has a curfew of 11pm meaning you have enough time to dash home and eat ‘Cake by the (Sofa)’ before ringing in the new day.
Getting to AO Arena
Tram
For those of you heading to AO Arena, luckily, it’s connected to Manchester Victoria Station, and it has an integrated Metrolink stop to make your life even easier.
Head along the pink, light blue or yellow lines directly to the Victoria stop, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Train
Considering this live entertainment venue is situated right in the middle of one of Manchester’s most frequented stations, concertgoers should find no problem getting to the arena, wherever they are.
Bus
A variety of buses cover AO Arena andVictoria Station on their route, such as the 2 bus, which stops just a one-minute walk away from the venue.
A full list of buses and their routes can be found HERE.
The Arena has its own official CitiPark, with 958 car parking spaces, including 40 Blue Badge parking bays, which can be booked in advance.
Alternatively, anyone attending a gig can park at their nearest train station and jump on a train service or the various Metrolink park and ride facilities.
Walk/cycle
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app.
Chester Zoo’s popular FREE Nature Fest returns this weekend with its biggest event yet
Emily Sergeant
A free festival helping people connect to nature is returning for its 10th anniversary, and organisers say it will be their biggest event yet.
Nature Fest is returning to Chester Zoo this weekend, and is set to explore the relationship between nature and wellbeing, with lots of new activities designed to help festivalgoers experience the benefits of connecting with the natural world
Around 4,000 people, and lots of families, are expected to attend across the weekend.
Visitors can take part in animal yoga sessions, relax in a zen den, and explore an interactive nature adventure based around the five pathways to nature connection, traveling along tunnels and through a tree along the way.
There will also be live music, puppetry, crafts, workshops and talks, alongside opportunities to discover how conservationists work to protect wildlife.
Chester Zoo’s popular Nature Fest returns this weekend with its biggest event yet / Credit: Chester Zoo
On top of that, the festival will feature stands from various nature organisations and community groups across the North West, talks and tips from nature professionals, and wildlife-friendly gardening sessions with the zoo’s schools team.
Chester Zoo has also teamed up with Outside Lives Ltd on the festival, giving visitors the chance to take part in other activities like crazy golf, den building, and willow weaving.
“We’re hoping our 10th Nature Fest will be the biggest yet,” commented Chris Ablett, who is the Community Volunteer Assistant Manager at Chester Zoo.
“Chester Zoo is well known for supporting conservation across the world but protecting nature here in the UK is just as important.
“We want people to know there are simple things they can do to help wildlife at home, and Nature Fest is a great way to link up with people and learn new skills you can put into practice in your community, all while enjoying a great day out.”
Chester Zoo’s Nature Fest returns for 2026 this weekend on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September. It’s free to attend, parking is also free, and no booking is required.
Emily Sergeant -
18th January 2022 
