City of Brussels celebrates Chinese New Year

Thousands of people gathered in the centre of Brussels on Saturday for a Chinese New Year celebration and parade, filling the city with dragons and red lanterns, writes Brusselnieuws. "It is the first time that such a big parade takes place in Brussels on the occasion of this fantastic tradition," said Karine Lalieux, Brussels-City alderwoman for culture.

Lalieux and ambassador Qu Xing on Saturday afternoon kicked off the festivities on the Grand Place by “waking sleeping dragons and lions”, as tradition prescribes. This was followed by a large parade through the city centre with more than 400 artists, including groups from Beijing and Shanghai performing Chinese music, dance and martial arts. The parade ended at Place de la Bourse two and a half hours later.

Brussels' famous statue Manneken Pis was dressed in traditional Chinese clothing for the occasion.

The event was organised by the City of Brussels, in collaboration with the Chinese Embassy, the Chinese Mission to the European Union and the Chinese community.