Lunar Chinese New Year Festival returns to South Yorkshire in 2026 following a record-breaking year

Once again, the Peace Gardens will play host to a spectacular programme of cultural performance, street food and community celebration. This marks the start of another landmark year of events in South Yorkshire as the region continues to prove itself as a leading destination for culture, music and sport.

Organised by Cultural Inclusive CIC and supported by Sheffield City Council and Sheffield BID, the 2025 festival saw the city transformed into a city-wide tribute to the Year of the Snake. With dazzling lion and dragon dances, food stalls packed with traditional delicacies, and performances from international and local artists alike, the event brought thousands into the city centre and made a tangible impact on the local economy.

The 2025 edition attracted tens of thousands of visitors across the weekend, with Sheffield BID reporting that sales increased by £321,000 during the festival weekend. Of that total, £253,000 was attributed to the festival’s influence, with 30 percent of the uplift in spending coming from people living outside Sheffield. The event delivered a timely boost to local businesses during a traditionally quieter time of year.

More than £12,000 was raised for The Children’s Hospital Charity and over 100 performers—including dancers, singers, models, acrobats and musicians—featured in the rich and diverse programme. The World Champion Acrobatic Lion Dance troupe, flown in from Foshan, China, drew large crowds with multiple performances over the two days. The full economic impact analysis from Sheffield BID is available to view online.

Diane Jarvis, Head of Business Operations at Sheffield BID, said: “The Lunar Chinese New Year Festival has firmly established itself as one of Sheffield’s most exciting and inclusive events. The fantastic turnout shows how cultural celebration can unite communities and energise the city. Events like this are more than just moments of celebration.

"They’re powerful drivers of footfall, civic pride, and economic opportunity. This festival brings energy into to the city centre that translates directly into support for local businesses. If we want a thriving, resilient city centre, we must continue to invest in the experiences that draw people in, spark connection, and demonstrate everything our city has to offer."

Organisers hailed the 2025 edition as the city’s most successful Lunar celebration to date. From ribbon-cutting ceremonies attended by civic leaders to performances by the Chengdu Acrobatic Troupe and the Wanlin Dance Academy, the entire city centre came alive with music, colour and connection. A standout moment came when pupils from several Sheffield schools performed a traditional Chinese New Year song in Mandarin, arranged by Sheffield Music Hub.

Founder and organiser Jerry Cheung said: "This festival belongs to everyone in Sheffield. It’s a way for us to celebrate our city’s diversity and to build lasting connections between communities. Seeing children from different schools singing in Mandarin brought home exactly what this is all about."

As preparations begin for the 2026 event, organisers are inviting expressions of interest from potential volunteers, food vendors, commercial partners and community organisations who would like to be part of the celebration.

Anyone interested in getting involved can visit cultural-inclusive.com to find out more.

The Sheffield Lunar Chinese New Year Festival is built on collaboration. Thanks to continued support from Sheffield BID and Sheffield City Council, and the growing enthusiasm of communities across the city, the 2026 edition promises to be even more ambitious. Light displays at Sheffield Children’s Hospital will return, and expanded activities are planned across the city.

Attendees last year described the event as “joyful”, “welcoming” and “a brilliant showcase for what Sheffield can do.”

One visitor said: “There was such a mix of people, all coming together in the middle of winter to celebrate something beautiful. I’ve never felt prouder of our city.”