Sunday, 29 January from 12pm – 6pm
We are delighted to invite you to the flagship event in our Year of the Rabbit (and Cat) programme on Sunday, 29 January from 12pm-6pm at Meeting House Square. This event has something for all the family to enjoy, including authentic Asian cuisine, Korean drummers, Cantonese lion dancers, Tai Chi demonstrations, Mongolian throat singing, traditional Lunar New Year games, and zodiac-themed face painting to name just a few. There will also be a wide variety of activities and workshops throughout the day, all brought to you by Dublin City Council.
Opening with an address from our Festival Ambassador, Mei Chin, we will say goodbye to the Year of the Tiger and say hello to the Year of the Rabbit with a series of spectacular Cantonese Lion Dancing performances from the legendary Flower City Dragon and Lion Dance Association (various performances from 12pm-6pm). Fresh from their headline performance at this year’s Culture Night, audiences will also experience an energetic Samul Nori drumming performance by Korean School Dublin (2pm-2:30pm), whose talented Children’s Choir will also stage a hearing impaired-friendly performance to celebrate the Lunar New Year (2pm-2:30pm).
Explore the richness of Chinese culture with the Irish Chinese Cheongsam Association as they present Peking Opera performances, traditional musical instruments and dances, Chinese calligraphy and a traditional magic show (1pm-1:45pm), or enjoy a K-pop dance performance from the epic Savage Family Dance Crew, led by Ireland’s own World K-Pop Champion, Sodem Solana, and ring in the Year of the Rabbit by learning some moves at their dance-along demonstration (5pm).
Reset and rebalance for the Year of the Rabbit with the students of the Sam Lee Academy who will demonstrate the slow and graceful movements of the late Sam Lee’s style of Tai Chi and healing Qi Gong (3pm), and celebrate Mongolian Lunar New Year, commonly known as Tsagaan Sar with a variety traditional arts, dancing and music, including traditional Mongolian throat singing (4pm).
Experience a taste of Asia with three of Dublin’s finest Asian food stalls from 12pm-6pm: