Dublin Lunar New Year and Chinese New Year celebrations have grown in the capital city over the last 13 years. However, this year, due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic the festival is all online.
Honouring the Year of the Ox, the second symbol in the 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle, the festival will present an exciting programme of online events for all to attend.
Below is a message from the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Hazel Chu:
Celebrating the strength, resilience and energy of the mighty Ox, the majority of events during this are free to attend. You can find out more here.
Here are some of the standout events from the Dublin Lunar New Year programme:
Celebrations
– For the sixth year running, Dublin Chinese Lunar New Year is partnering with Tourism Ireland to light up Dublin City red in celebration of the Chinese New Year.
– Recognisable buildings and landmarks will be lighting up red from Thu 11 Feb – Sun 14 Feb.
– The Chester Beatty Library is delighted to invite young violinist, Daimee Ng, to celebrate the festival, performing Kreisler’s Tambourin Chinois and Tchaikovsky Waltz-Scherzo to mark Lunar New Year’s Day (Fri 12 Feb, 12pm).
Taste of Asia
– Join Barry Sun Jian, Head Chef at Volpe Nera, for his take on a classic, beef tartare. At 19 years of age, Barry came to Ireland from China to learn English. From a part-time job as a kitchen porter, he rose through the ranks to be crowned Best Chef in Dublin in 2018 (Thu 11 Feb, 12pm).
– Learn how to make Gỏi Cuốn or Vietnamese Summer Rolls on the Dublin Lunar New Year website now.
– The Ireland China Science and Technology Association invites you to celebrate the Lunar New Year by joining Janet Wang, the author of The Chinese Wine Renaissance in a free virtual wine tasting event with Great Wall wine (Sat 13 Feb, 8pm).
– Join Eva Pau from the Asia Market and watch her make New Year dumplings and explain their significance as she shares her family recipes in an online cookery demonstration (Sun 14 Feb, 12 noon).
Interactive Events (for all ages)
– Celebrate the Year of the Ox online with Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane as they share short art activity films specially created by their artists. Available for the duration of the festival (Tue 9 – Sun 14 Feb).
– Keep the kids entertained with a Lunar New Year activity pack. Available for the duration of the festival (Tue 9 – Sun 14 Feb).
– Join Heather Grey for a fun Lion Mask-making Workshop. Then, follow the kids at Hill Street Family Resource Centre for a 10-step lion dance tutorial from the comfort of your own home (Sat 13 Feb, 12pm).
– Create your own snuff bottle with artist Heather Gray, inspired by the Chester Beatty Chinese collection which you can check out online (Sat 13 Feb, 12pm).
-Take part in an art and mindfulness workshop to learn the basics of Chinese brush painting, as well as some Chinese characters to celebrate the Year of the Ox (Sat 13 Feb, 3pm).
Podcasts & Talks & Tours
– Experience Chun Zhu Wang’s Through a Lens Tour in both Chinese and English at the National Gallery of Ireland. Available on the National Gallery website (9-14 February).
– In a special edition of the Three Castles Burning podcast, produced for Dublin Chinese Lunar New Year, explore the Parnell Street and Moore Street areas in the context of how new communities have come to settle there (Wed 10 Feb, 2pm).
– Join Colin Martin, Head of RHA School, for a live conversation and a fresh look at artwork by recent RHA studio artist and painter Jingze Du (Wed 10 Feb, 5:30pm).
– In a new RadioMoLI podcast: Reaching Between Worlds, Cónal Creedon speaks to Yan Ge, the Chinese writer named by People’s Literature magazine as one of twenty future Chinese literary masters (Thu 11 Feb, 2pm).
See the full programme of events on the Dublin Lunar New Year festival.