University gears up for Chinese New Year celebrations

A flavour of Chinese culture and commerce will be on show in Plymouth  as part of celebrations to herald in the Chinese New Year.

Plymouth University is staging three days of events to mark the occasion in early February, ranging from a business networking session to a food festival, and martial arts workshops to a glamorous evening celebration.

The events will be attended by members of Plymouth’s Chinese community, including students and staff, with local businesses also playing a big part.

Richard Parkman, a Lecturer in Leadership and Events Management, said: “The University makes an enormous contribution to the cultural diversity of our city, and it is important we mark that through occasions such as the Chinese New Year. It is something our students and staff are embracing enthusiastically, and we are confident the wider community will do the same. It is a fantastic opportunity for the city to come together and celebrate, and for students and businesses to expand their horizons for the future.”

The three days of events commence on Wednesday 6 February, with a networking day for students and those wanting to find out more about studying in Plymouth. There will then be an evening event for businesses with interests locally and in China, and the opportunity to network with students and academics.

The following day there will be a food festival on the University campus, with demonstrations by local businesses, and activities for children including a panda hunt and lantern workshop. In the evening, there will be a film festival featuring showings of Fearless, Redcliff and Kung Fu Panda.

Then on Friday 8 February, there will be further workshops in calligraphy and martial arts, with around 350 people then attending a party in the evening with a host of Chinese entertainment, including acrobatics, lion dancing and sword routines.

Most of the events are free and open to the public, and more information is available at http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/feeds/events or by emailing thevents@plymouth.ac.uk