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Crowds turn out
to celebrate Year
of the Dragon
A GIANT Chinese dragon snaked its way up Bath Street on Saturday evening, while crowds of townsfolk looked on...
But far from being under attack by a colourful monster, Ilkeston schoolchildren and townsfolk were celebrating the Chinese New Year of the Dragon.
Among many brightly-coloured spectacles the ceremony included a lantern parade, a lucky fish dance and traditional Chinese drumming and dancing.
It also marked the end of Erewash Borough Council’s winter Festival of Lights, which started in November.
Children made lanterns at Erewash Museum on Saturday morning ready to parade through town in the evening.
In the Market Place students from Ormiston Ilkeston Academy performed the traditional Chinese dragon dance, with a dragon made by pupils at Friesland School, Sandiacre.
The lucky fish dance was performed by youngsters from Cantelupe Kids’ Group in Ilkeston, while pupils from Field House Infants school danced to music by traditional Chinese percussionists.
Long Eaton town centre hosted a celebration of traditional dragon dancing by young adults from Long Eaton Youth Services and ribbon dancing by children from Sandiacre Children’s Centre.
Cllr Mike Wallis, the council’s lead member for culture and leisure, said: “Our annual Chinese New Year celebration has become a firm family favourite and is both fun and a great spectacle for everyone.”
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Weather for Ilkeston
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
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