Join the Lunar New Year festivities with a town centre celebration.

Kick off the Year of the Rabbit in Maidstone with a free parade, performances and activities on Saturday, January 28.

There will be Chinese lions, Sichuan face changing and ribbon dancing puppets parading through Jubilee Square.

You can also enjoy live music from the London Chinese Opera Studio, as well as family activities for the children to get hands-on and learn about the Chinese New Year.

The celebrations begin in the town centre from 11am to 1.30pm, and will continue into the afternoon at Lockmeadow Entertainment Centre from 1pm to 2pm.

The colourful displays and entertaining performances have been organised by Maidstone Borough Council, Cohesion Plus and the Maidstone Cultural Group.

“These wonderful celebrations are superb, they are so vibrant and bring the town to life,” says Cllr Claudine Russell, Lead Member for Leisure and Arts at Maidstone Borough Council. “I am delighted the dancers and performers will be entertaining crowds. It’s a great way to kick off 2023. Come along and enjoy the fun, it's all free too.”

“We are pleased to be working in partnership to once again celebrate the Lunar New Year with the diverse communities of Maidstone,” adds Gurvinder Sandher MBE from Cohesion Plus. “It is a wonderful thing to be able to celebrate traditions and events from around the world to acknowledge the fact that we live in a diverse and vibrant borough.”