They are a vital part of Huddersfield’s community.
With 1,000 Chinese students at Huddersfield University, they are by far its biggest overseas representation, and have enjoyed celebrating Chinese New Year with campus events.
But this year, with help from the university and Huddersfield Town Centre Partnership (HTCP), the students brought their celebrations to the town centre itself.
The fete to celebrate the Lunar New Year, which this year began on February 19, featured traditional Chinese games, crafts and food.
And other Far East nations which celebrate the Lunar New Year, such as Thailand and Vietnam, were represented with stalls at the market.
HTCP projects manager Hayley MacDonald said: “The locals have really liked it; they’ve really enjoyed the food and have been getting involved and the children have really liked the panda.
“The Chinese New Year is taught in all Kirklees schools so we hope people can get a taster for it.
“We’re a cultural town and it’s nice to celebrate it.”
Alan Tobi, Huddersfield University international marketing manager, said: “It’s really to bring the Chinese culture into the town and it’s exciting for the Chinese students and a proud moment for them.”
Social work student Vivian Chan, 20, from Hong Kong, said: “The local people have been really eager to come and celebrate.
“Huddersfield has a diverse culture so to all come together and celebrate it is brilliant.”
Chinese New Year celebrations date back thousands of years and were originally in honour of deities and ancestors.
As well as in China, it is celebrated in countries with significant Chinese populations, such as Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mauritius and the Philippines.
It is also observed in Chinatowns across the world, for example in Manchester and San Francisco.
Celebrations include lion dances, fireworks, the giving of red envelopes containing greeting cards, and decorating buildings and spaces with vertical banners emblazoned with Chinese poetry.
Each year is associated with an animal on a zodiac which repeats every 12 years.
This year is the year of the goat or sheep, depending on the region.
In Chinese culture, goats are considered to be peace-loving and kind but also stubborn.
Sheep are regarded as optimistic heralding a year of promise and prosperity.
