Bath Lunar New Year festival offers a sense of belonging

Volunteers in Bath are holding a Lunar New Year festival at Percy Community Centre on 21 February to help Hongkongers feel rooted and share cultural traditions; the community-run event has taken place for three years and includes crafts and a Lion Dance.

Bath is holding a Lunar New Year celebration organised by local volunteers. The event brings together families who have settled in the area and marks the first new moon of the lunar calendar. Organisers say the festival helps people feel recognised and preserves traditions across generations. The celebration is scheduled at Percy Community Centre on 21 February. Key details: - The event takes place at Percy Community Centre on 21 February. - It has been organised by volunteers in Bath for three years. - Volunteers say they noticed more Hong Kong families moving to the area after the 2019 protests. - Activities include calligraphy, origami and a traditional Lion Dance performed by students from the University of Bristol. - The festival is partly funded by Bath and North East Somerset Council and is ticketed; surplus funds will be donated to families affected by the Tai Po fire in Hong Kong. - Local volunteers, including Teresa Lee and Cherry Lee, describe the event as helping people feel at home and passing cultural traditions to the next generation. Summary: The festival provides a space for Hongkongers in Bath to mark Lunar New Year while maintaining cultural traditions and building community ties. It is scheduled for 21 February and features community crafts and a Lion Dance, with proceeds supporting families affected by the Tai Po fire.