'Lunar New Year is a chance to celebrate together'
BBCA traditional lion dance marked the start of Lunar New Year celebrations attended by hundreds of visitors to a Nottinghamshire town.
The event was moved to Bingham Arena this year to accommodate more people and stalls, following the success of last year's celebration, which attracted 1,700 people.
"For Hong Kong people, it's a chance to speak in our own language and celebrate together," said Christy Tang, co-founder of Hong Kong Notts.
Ms Tang came to Nottingham in 2021 on a Hong Kong British National (Overseas) visa set up in January 2021 and has been helping others integrate into life in Bingham.
An estimated 8,000 people from Hong Kong have made Nottingham their home in the last four years after deciding to resettle after the Chinese government enforced a new national security law in 2020.
Some stalls at Saturday's event offered more practical advice for Hongkongers, who have just moved to the UK, such as when to put their bins out or where to find English language classes.
The Lunar New Year began on the 29 January, and it is typically celebrated for 15 days by millions of people in and from East and South East Asian countries.
This year marks saying goodbye to the Year of the Dragon, and bringing in the Year of the Snake.
The date of the Lunar New Year changes every year and is dependent on the moon's cycles.
Now in its second year, the event is run by Rushcliffe Borough Council and made possible by the government's UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Lunar New Year celebrations will continue for many, and end on the 12 February with the lantern festival.
Follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.