Year of the Snake 10th Feb.

Chinese New Year was marked in style today at Portsmouth’s Guildhall with 5 hours of stalls and entertainment.

In company with the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, and the Mayors and Mayoresses from Fareham and Gosport, but unfortunately without Elaine who was unwell, I was there as the guest of the Chairman of the Portsmouth Chinese Association, Mr. Albert Choi.

Some of the dancers

For the first hour or so we were able to look around the various stalls that had been set up on the first floor of the Guildhall, amongst them being painting, caligraphy, paper cutting and palm reading, before watching Chinese Fire Crackers being set off outside in the rain!

The Lion Dance

This was followed by some light refreshments, and then almost three hours of entertainment ranging from dancing and singing to piano and violin solos, with Martial Arts demonstrations for good measure.

The grand finale was the traditional, and extremely colourful. Lion Dance.