All you need to know about celebrating Chinese New Year in Edinburgh

Chinese brush painting, the first ever bilingual Chinese and Scots ceilidh and world class music and dance performances will feature in a new festival to celebrate Chinese New Year.

On the rooftop of the National Museum of Scotland, a mythical unicorn lantern lights up the early morning sky alongside a Chinese dragon to mark the launch of the Chinese New Year Edinburgh festival.

Landmark buildings across the Capital will be also be lit up in red to mark the start of the Year of the Pig, which begins on February 5.

It is the first co-ordinated festival to celebrate Chinese New Year in Edinburgh and is set to be the largest in Scotland. The diverse programme of events from February 2-17 is aimed at connecting local audiences and businesses with Chinese visitors to make the city the UK’s most China-friendly destination.

With showcase events at the Usher Hall, National Museum of Scotland, Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh and Edinburgh Zoo, locals and visitors can try their hand in everything from taster sessions in calligraphy to ceilidh dancing and flower crafts.

The Usher Hall will also host the official Chinese New Year Concert at on February 9 featuring the Edinburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Edinburgh Singers and a new rendition of Auld Lang Syne.

Consul-general Pan Xinchun said: “Chinese New Year is a time to celebrate relationships and it is wonderful to see Edinburgh building on its relationship with China in a way that brings locals, visitors and the Chinese community in the city together.”

The Edinburgh Tourism Action Group has teamed up with Scottish Confucius Institute for Business & Communication at Heriot-Watt University to spread the Chinese New Year celebrations.

Lord Provost Frank Ross said: “The rich programme of events will not only give the people of Edinburgh a chance to join in the celebrations and learn more about Chinese culture but also provide a warm welcome to visitors.”