THEY have promised a truly spectacular welcome to the year of the snake.

A Chinese Lion dance and martial arts demonstrations will lead the celebrations of the Chinese New Year in Huddersfield in 2013.

And Chinese Community Centre manager, Sui Cheung, says the year of the snake will provide even more entertainment.

She said: “We have been busy preparing the demonstrations for the day, with the Lion dance, Tai Chi and martial arts demonstrations.

“The event is aimed at all those in the Huddersfield and Kirklees community, with people of any age or race welcomed.

“We want to invite all people in Huddersfield, especially those who aren’t British to experience our new year.

“We have more than 600 Chinese families living in the Chinese community in Huddersfield and the event will allow money to be generated for the Chinese Community Centre, to help those families in need.”

The Chinese New Year celebrations will be held on Saturday, February 9 at Brian Jackson House, home of the Yorkshire Children’s Centre.

Celebrations include a Chinese Lion dance, Tai Chi demonstrations, children’s music and dance performances, a martial arts demonstration, arts and crafts tables, a children’s magic show and Chinese food.

The event will take place from 11.15am to 4pm.

Adult tickets are £2, with children under 12 paying £1.

The Chinese Community Centre, on Claremont Street, helps those in need with support in education, language lessons and schooling as well as other support.

The centre is open to all those in the Chinese community who are in need.

Huddersfield has always had a strong Chinese community and according to Sui Cheung this is still the case.

She said: “The number of Chinese families in Huddersfield is increasing.

“It used to be Hong Kong Chinese families who came over, but now we are getting a lot more families coming from the mainland.”

The Chinese Community Centre event has been running for the past eight years.

FACTFILE

This year’s Chinese new year is the year of the snake.

The snake represents a very kind person and is a year of leadership.

The Chinese year 4711 begins on February 10, 2013.

New year festivities traditionally begin on the first day of the lunar month and end on the 15th.

Chinese New Year is the main Chinese festival of the year, but it is not a religious event.

The first week is celebrated with visits to friends and family and includes special traditions to bring good luck.

The second week of celebrations ends with the Lantern Festival on the evening of the 15th day of the lunar month.