Chinese New Year in Macclesfield

‘Silky’ introduces the year of the pig.

Last Saturday (2^nd February), Macclesfield families came along in their hundreds to help celebrate Chinese New Year.

To welcome the Year of the Pig, Macclesfield Town Council organised a dragon parade to set off from Market Place followed by a free event at the United Reformed Church. The dragon was followed by children shaking percussion instruments kindly loaned out by Macclesfield Music Centre, to scare away the evil spirits from the last year. 

The parade made its way to the United Reformed Church at Park Green where people were welcomed with a chance to taste some authentic food, Chinese inspired crafts including lantern making and pig printing, as well as a chance to view art installations ‘A Whisper of Moths’ and ‘Great Wall of Friendship’.

Macclesfield Town Council commissioned Macclesfield Community Artspace to work with local primary schools to create pieces of artwork focussing on the silk links between the town and China. Artspace also created the Chinese dragon and the very popular ‘Silky’ the pig. If you missed out on seeing Silky, she can be viewed at Christchurch on the 23^rd and 24^thFebruary.

Whisper of Moths consisted of moths made by local schoolchildren being suspended from the ceiling in a display which incorporated both light and sound.

The Great Wall of Friendship joined printed messages from Macclesfield schools together to create a giant visual symbol of solidarity.

Councillor Gareth Jones, Chair of the Macclesfield Silk Friendship Group commented that ‘It was great to welcome local people and visitors of all ages to a community event that celebrated Chinese New Year, I would like to thank all who attended and made this a great event.  We look forward to more community events so everyone can see what Macclesfield has to offer.’