The Year of the Dog is here in 2018 and, as usual, Chinese New Year will be one of the most exciting events in London full of colour, noise and a whole lot of dragons. Chinatown will be bulging with decorations and dancers to mark the start of the Chinese New Year (which begins on Friday February 16 2018).
The parade kicks off on Sunday February 18 at 10am starting with a dragon and lion dance on Charing Cross Road, which will then snake its way through Chinatown. Beginning at Trafalgar Square, the colourful procession danced its way through the streets of London all the way to Shaftesbury Avenue in Chinatown.
Honouring China’s rich cultural heritage, Trafalgar Square’s main stage showcased a variety of traditional and contemporary performing arts, including the beautiful sounds of the London Chinese Philharmonic Choir and the Guandong Art Troupe’s playful puppets. There are many events in London during Chinese New Year.
It’s the biggest Chinese New Year celebration in the world outside of Asia, so be prepared for lots of people and book here your Hotel for your stay during Chinese New Year.
It is believed that wearing new clothes from head to toe symbolizes a new start and fresh hopes for the New Year. Chinese believe that New Year’s Day sets the tone for the rest of the year, so everyone tries to dress well. 
As mentioned repeatedly here, red is China’s good luck color, believed to scare away spirits of bad fortune. Shop yours here