Map shows London’s Chinese New Year 2024 parade route and timings

This weekend marks Chinese New Year 2024 and lots of events will be taking place across London, including the famous parade.

Millions of people will come together tomorrow to kick off celebrations marking the Lunar New Year and welcome the Year of the Dragon.

Chinese tradition says that 2024 will be the year of the Wood Dragon, which symbolises progress, growth and abundance.

And it means the streets of London will be filled with people celebrating and there will be cultural events taking all over the city over the weekend.

The date of Chinese New Year varies slightly from year to year and this year it’s on Saturday, February 10.

What time is London’s Chinese New Year parade?

Organised by the London Chinatown Chinese Association (LCCA), the capital’s popular Chinese New Year parade will take place this year on Sunday, February 11.

It will see a captivating parade move through London, passing famous landmarks and areas of the city, such as Trafalgar Square and Chinatown.

The parade will bring bright colours, delicious traditional food and incredible performances for everyone to enjoy.

The parade will start at 12pm will see a traditional dragon and flying lion dancing around Trafalgar Square to kick it off.

It will go on until 5pm, featuring incredible performances including opera, ancient magic, acrobatics and martial arts in those hours.

What is the route?

The parade starts on the corner of Trafalgar Square right next to Charing Cross station.

It then moves up Charing Cross Road and towards Shaftesbury Avenue before stopping at the bottom of Wardour Street.

After that the parade will move through Chinatown, going down Gerrard Street, Macclesfield Street, part of Wardour Street, Leicester Street and Lisle Street before finishing in Leicester Square.

You can find a map of the full parade route below.

What else is going on in London?

The parade is a spectacle to watch but it’s not the only event going on in London to mark the Lunar New Year.

There are a number of other events that are definitely worth going to.

This includes Lunar New Year at the Museum of London Docklands, which will feature lots of activities that kids can get involved in from a silent disco and a dragon puppets show to Dragon Kung Fu and ribbon dance workshops.

Tickets to some of these events are already sold out. There are some spaces for walk-ins but it’s best to arrive early to avoid disappointment.

The British Film Institute (BFI) is also celebrating Chinese New Year with some special screenings of Chinese films such as Elegies and Love Uno Waste.

Lunar New Year at Greenwich Peninsula is also worth a visit as audiences will get to see a dragon dance.

Head to the Design District at 1pm on Sunday to watch the amazing performance that’s rooted in East Asian Culture.

Some other events celebrating Chinese New Year across London are: