SOUTHAMPTON will be awash with oriental colour when a Chinese festival takes place tomorrow.

The feast of celebrations will see in the Chinese Year of the Ox. Revellers will enjoy a market, music and dance, a martial arts display, a dragon and a parade through the city centre.

The market outside the Bargate will run from 9am to 4pm.

A “dim jing” ceremony will take place in the Civic Centre car park between 11am and 12.30pm.

The parade is due to start at 12.30pm and will head down the city centre, West Quay shopping centre and on to the Bargate.

A giant screen will give people a close-up of the ceremony which will feature Southampton mayor Brian Parnell painting the eye of the dragon to “bring it to life.”

The event is organised by The Chinese Association and the Waterside Dragon Dance Club and supported by Southampton City Council.

Ping Hua, association chairman, said: “This is the perfect way to celebrate our culture and the city’s diversity.

“The Chinese New Year is an important time for Chinese people and I’m sure families will be celebrating in private as well but this festival makes it a bit more special.

“It is not just an event for the Chinese though, the colourful culture, noise and atmosphere attracts lots of people from all different backgrounds and every year the festival gets bigger.”

Cabinet member for leisure, culture and heritage, Councillor John Hannides, said: “The city will provide a dramatic backdrop to this colourful celebration and give Southampton’s residents and visitors the opportunity to experience and take part.”

❏ A dinner for four at the Dragon Palace will go to the snapper who takes the best photograph of the celebrations and gets it to the event management team at Southampton City Council before January 30.

Southampton Solent Celebrations

To mark the Chinese New Year Southampton Solent University will be holding a celebration of Chinese culture on Wednesday.

The celebrations will roar into action at 5.30pm with a traditional Chinese lion dance by the Waterside Lion Dance Club based in Marchwood, Southampton.

This will be followed by a programme of traditional Chinese music performed by The Southampton Pheonix Arts Group, and a Chinese buffet from Ocean Dragon restaurant.

All are welcome to this free event at the University’s Michael Andrews Building at East Park Terrace. To book, contact event coordinator Melissa Reddington-Cartmell on 023 8031 9038.