ONE of the most important dates on the Eastern calendar will be celebrated in style in Sunderland next month.
Entertainment, arts and crafts and food from across Asia will be heading to Sunderland on February 9, to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
From 11am to 3pm Sunniside Gardens will be transformed to showcase East meeting West, with activities for everyone.
The programme will include a range of musical performances including classical and modern dance, as well as musicians playing Chinese classical instruments and a fashion show.
The day will feature the culture of everywhere from China to Malaysia, from Myanmar to Indonesia, Vietnam and Singapore.
Visitors will be able to watch an authentic dragon dance, as well as taking part in workshops including paper cutting crafts to celebrate the Year of the Snake, with sessions to make Chinese figures and snake bookmarks on offer to younger children.
There will be the opportunity to try the noble art of origami – paper folding – as well as calligraphy, with visitors also able to buy Asian-inspired goods such as dragon puppets, masks and Chinese snacks.
Food traders will also be in line with the theme of the day, including Japanese street food experts, Arigato and XL Sushi, which offers hot sushi and Katsu curry dishes, with more vendors to be announced.
Sharon Appleby of Sunderland BID which is organising the event, believes it is going to be a day not to miss.
“We are excited to have put together a full programme of events which will represent so many cultures from across Asia,” she said.
“This is such an important day in the calendar and one that we have celebrated in Sunderland before, but not on this scale.
“It’s going to be a great opportunity for people of all ages to come and not only learn about other cultures but have a huge amount of fun.”
Events in the Sunniside area are supported by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) following a successful application made by Sunderland BID, which led to an award of £202,253.
The Lunar New Year celebrations are part of the Sunniside Activation programme, designed to build pride in place and a sense of community. For more information visit www.sunderlandbid.co.uk