A huge array of performances and activities will be offering families a chance to experience a taste of Chinese culture in Durham this February.
The city will be celebrating Chinese New Year - the Year of the Rat - with a main day-long event including everything from a traditional lion dance and Chinese music to a chance to try the language and make crafts to take home.
The packed programme on Saturday, February 1 will get under way in Millennium Place with lion dancers in action from 12.30pm who will continue their displays in the city centre throughout the afternoon.
Running alongside that will be performances and activities including dancing, storytelling and arts. Playing host will be Durham Town Hall, Clayport Library and the Oriental Museum.
The library will be running the likes of Chinese language taster sessions and storytelling on the day as well as take-home arts and crafts for children - for free - while the Town Hall will have a wide range of activities on offer including tea tasting; calligraphy; crafts; drawings and Chinese horoscopes as well as free Chinese-theme school performances and traditional Chinese music, songs and dance.
There also will be a Chinese Tea Art Show in the Town Hall. For the full programme and timings of the city's celebrations - which are supported by Durham Chinese School; Durham Markets; Durham University and the Chinese Students' and Scholars Association - see here .
Over at the Oriental Museum in Durham an event is being planned in January in the lead-up to a February celebration. Its drop-in Chinese craft activity on Saturday, January 25 - suitable for children aged from five to 11 - will run from 1pm-3pm.
The Crowdcraft event is inviting families to make Chinese lanterns and paper cuts to decorate the museum in readiness for its New Year Lantern Festival which takes place on Saturday, February 8.
There will be special late-night opening from 6pm-8pm for the festival which will feature dragon dancing; crafts; trails; storytelling and New Year food and drink. Visitors also will be able to try their hand at games, calligraphy and making traditional paper cuts.
The museum promises to look spectacular on the night too, being lit only by lanterns, and the first 100 children to arrive will receive a free lantern. Tickets will be needed for the festival, details of which have yet to be released. For more about the Oriental Museum see here .
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