Chinese New Year Celebration in The Hague @ China Town

Chinese New Year is also known as Lunar New Year and undoubtedly the most important festival celebrated by all Chinese around the world.

With a sizable Chinese community, The Hague in the Netherlands has been celebrating the Lunar New Year without exception every year. There were an array of fun-filled activities held on the 9-Feb around Chinatown to usher in the year of Snake 2013. Apart from the crowd favourite lion dance and dragon dance performance, there were also live cultural and martial arts performances, Asian food bazaar, Chinese calligraphy and open market to jazz up this special occasion.  


The Lion Dance and Dragon Dance
I have never been so excited with lion and dragon dance performances back home. Perhaps I was home sick or was simply amazed by the surprisngly great lion dance performance which really helped me to alleviate the pain of celebrating Chinese New Year alone instead of the customary family reunion.

Lion & Dragon Dance

Lion Dance Sequence @ China Town in the Hague

The Hague Lion & Dragon dance troupe also featured a number of foreigners which really displayed the liberal mind of Dutch people in embracing other non-native cultures.

The Hague Chinatown Chinese New Year Bazaar
The car park of Bijenkorf department store had been transformed into live performance stage and Chinse New Year Bazaar. People from all walks for lives, difference nationalities gathered here to enjoy the live cultural performances and food. Even the mayor of the Hague was present and presided over the opening of these celebration.   

Chinese New Year Market @ The Hague

Live Performance in Stadhuis Atrium of The Hague
The Hague City Hall was decorated with striking red lanterns and celebration banners which elevated the Chinese New Year mood by a mile. Stage cultural performance started as early as 11.30am with great programs such as Chinese orchestra, Chinese dance, KungFu show, local live band performance, symphony orchestra and ended with a Live cross-over with CCTV Beijing for the countdown to Chinese New year.

My first Chinese New Year celebration in the Netherlands was really eye-opening and fun-filled. I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my readers an awesome, awesome Chinese New Year 2013! Rock on & Gong Xi Fa Cai!!

May You Have a Very Happy & Prosperous Chinese New Year