Chinese New Year events in Inverness

Chinese New Year takes place this weekend, and all the stops are being pulled out in Inverness to mark the occasion.

Scottish Highlands & Islands and Moray Chinese Association (SHIMCA) will be hosting a variety of events across the region on Monday 23. They will be visiting primary schools and care homes throughout the day to perform the traditional Lion dance in honour of the year of the water rabbit.

At 5.30pm people are welcome to watch the Lion dance be performed at the bottom of Market Brae Steps on the High Street, followed by a parade down to the Town House. A ticketed performance and buffet will take place inside the Town House after this. Red envelopes will be handed out with golden (chocolate) coins inside to wish people good luck.

Monica Lee-Macpherson, SHIMCA's chairwoman and trustee is looking forward to the celebrations. She said: "I am very excited about it all.

"All our tickets are now sold out and we have the deputy Chinese consulate coming to join us from Edinburgh.

"It will be a great occasion.

"We have children from different primary schools entering a painting competition, so one of them will be chosen to open the ceremony.

"The year of the water rabbit represents calm and prosperity. We have a lot of hope for this year – it is a celebration time for us."

SHIMCA will also go around and bless Chinese businesses throughout the city in order to bring them good luck for the coming months. This years celebrations at the town house has been supported by the Common Good Fund.

Yee's Hung Ga Kung Fu Academy will also be performing a Lion dance inside the Victorian Market on Saturday 21 at 12pm. They will also perform the Lion dance and Dragon dance at 11.30am inside the Eastgate Centre on Sunday 22, followed by the traditional blessings of shops inside the centre.

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