Meadowhall is set to play a central role in this year’s Sheffield Lunar Chinese New Year Festival as the city marks the arrival of the Year of the Horse with a packed programme of cultural celebration, performances, family activities and community fundraising.
From Sunday 15 to Friday 20 February 2026, Meadowhall will host a week-long schedule of free drop-in workshops, finishing with a special evening performance from the internationally acclaimed Foshan Lion Dance Troupe on Friday 20 February from 6.30pm in the Lower Oasis.
Presented by Cultural Inclusive CIC in association with Sheffield BID, Sheffield City Council and title sponsor CHERY, the Sheffield Lunar Chinese New Year Festival is now in its third year as a major public event and continues to grow as one of the UK’s most inclusive and impactful cultural celebrations.
The Meadowhall programme brings tradition to life with a week of hands-on cultural activity across a range of free workshops. Visitors can take part in Chinese calligraphy, lantern making and mask painting, all delivered in partnership with the University of Sheffield Confucius Institute. These free workshops run daily from 11am to 5pm in The Gallery and are suitable for all ages.
On Friday 20 February, the celebrations will culminate with a high-energy performance from the Foshan Acrobatic Lion Dance team. Returning to Sheffield following their show-stopping debut in 2025, the troupe are regarded as among the finest in the world and come from the Guangdong region of China – famed as the birthplace of martial arts legend Ip Man who trained Bruce Lee. Their performance brings together acrobatics, drumming and choreography in a tradition believed to ward off evil and bring good luck for the year ahead.
All festival activity at Meadowhall is in support of Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity, with collections taking place across the week and decorative lanterns available to sponsor. For the fourth year running, the charity is working with the festival team to decorate the hospital building with a giant illuminated dragon and a display of red lanterns, honouring the spirit of Lunar New Year while raising funds for life-changing research.
Meadowhall’s programme forms part of the wider Sheffield Lunar Chinese New Year Festival 2026, which runs from 16 to 25 February and includes a special light switch-on at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, a ticketed Gala Spectacular at the Octagon on 18 February, and a major weekend of free public celebration in and around the Peace Gardens on 21 and 22 February.
The festival concludes with a charity banquet at China Red on Wednesday 25 February.
Darren Pearce, centre director at Meadowhall, said:
“We’re hugely excited to be part of the wider city centre festivities for Lunar Chinese New Year once again. It’s such a vibrant celebration that we’ve been proud to support for many years, and it’s particularly meaningful that we’re able to support Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity at the same time.”
Jerry Cheung, founder of the Sheffield Lunar Chinese New Year Festival and Chair of Cultural Inclusive CIC, said:
“Bringing the Foshan Lion Dance back to Sheffield is more than a performance, it is a bridge between generations, cities and cultures. Meadowhall’s programme brings the festival directly to families, shoppers and visitors, giving everyone a chance to take part in something bigger than themselves.”
The Sheffield Lunar Chinese New Year Festival 2026 is open to all and exists to celebrate culture, connect communities and showcase the spirit of Sheffield.
Full programme details and ticket bookings for the Gala Spectacular are available at www.sheffieldlunarchinesenewyear.com
