London stages the West’s biggest Chinese New Year festivities

London has once again staged the largest Chinese New Year celebration outside Asia, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors into the heart of the capital for a day of color, culture and connection.

Parades, lion dances and live performances filled the streets from Trafalgar Square to Chinatown, as crowds gathered to welcome the Year of the Horse. Organizers say the annual festival has become one of the UK’s most recognisable cultural events, with more than 700,000 people attending last year and even larger numbers expected this time.

The celebrations, organized by the London Chinatown Chinese Association, aim to showcase Chinese culture while strengthening ties between the UK and China. Families, tourists and Londoners of all backgrounds lined the streets, many stopping to watch colorful dragon dances and traditional music performances. Children joined in the festivities, calling out “Xin Nian Kuai Le” – Happy New Year – as performers passed by.

City leaders also highlighted the importance of the festival for London’s multicultural identity. Deputy Mayor Debbie Weekes-Bernard described the event as a reminder of the strong cultural bonds that help shape the capital, saying that international partnerships play a vital role in keeping London open, diverse and connected.

In Trafalgar Square, the main stage hosted an opening ceremony co-presented by CGTN’s Li Jianhua, bringing together dignitaries, performers and community representatives. The Chinese ambassador to the UK, Zheng Zeguang, drew cheers from the crowd after announcing that travelers would no longer require a visa to visit China, encouraging more people to explore the country and deepen cultural exchange.

First launched in 2002, the London Chinese New Year celebration has grown into a major fixture of the UK’s cultural calendar. Workshops, street food stalls and afternoon performances continued throughout the day, culminating in a light show finale that lit up the square.

In Chinese culture, the Year of the Horse symbolizes strength, vitality and progress — themes reflected in the energy of the celebrations. As performers took their final bows and crowds slowly dispersed, organizers said the festival remains a powerful symbol of friendship between communities.

With drums echoing through Chinatown and lanterns glowing across the city, London’s Chinese New Year once again showed how culture can bring people together — galloping ahead into a new year of shared journeys.