This photographs below were taken at the 2006 Chinese New Year celebrations in Chinatown.
[ for a guide to this year's Chinese New Year event, see: Ideas/Album/ChineseNewYear ]

Can you spot the signs that 2006 was the Year of the Dog ...?

The streets just north of Leicester Square and east of Shaftesbury Avenue are known as London's Chinatown (part of the area called Soho). Many Chinese businesses and restaurants are located here. Lots of street stalls open for the Chinese New Year celebrations, and hundreds of red lanterns are hung up (red represents fire, which is believed to keep away bad luck and create prosperity).

The celebrations began with a Grand Parade from Charing Cross Road to Trafalgar Square.
In Trafalgar Square there was a traditional thanksgiving ceremony, followed by speeches.
The dragons' eyes were dotted and there were dances by the dragons and lions.
During the afternoon there were cultural performances on the stage.

Firecrackers and fireworks are let off in the centre of Leicester Square, first at 2pm and then at 5pm.
The traditional Chinese belief is that firecrackers scare away evil spirits.

For the second year, Sharwood's put on an event in Soho Square called "Wok The City".
After collecting a free noodle meal, the crowd enjoyed entertainment on the stage.