Neighbours celebrate Chinese New Year together in Hackney

Neighbours, families and friends came together this week to celebrate Chinese New Year at Pembury Community Centre in Hackney. 

Published: 20/02/2026

The free event on Tuesday afternoon welcomed the Year of the Horse with music, food and traditional performances.

Jun Mo Generations, a non-profit cultural arts organisation dedicated to celebrating East Asian arts, delivered a vibrant programme that wowed the crowd.

Performers of all ages took part in a range of traditional dances, with highlights including energetic Lion and Dragon dances. Dressed in colourful costumes, the dancers moved through the audience to the steady beat of drums filling the hall.

There was also a Qi Gong demonstration by Dao Lu CIC, another group that delivers regular community classes at Pembury Community Centre. 
We own and run the centre, and the event was coordinated by the Peabody Community Foundation, our charitable arm.

Residents enjoyed a selection of vegan Asian dishes, including noodles, rice, spring rolls and tofu, with food provided by Vegan Biosphere. 

Traditional red envelopes, known as hongbao, were shared as a symbol of good luck and prosperity for the year ahead, and there was face painting, colouring and New Year themed wordsearches for the kids. 

Steve Nicola, our Community Investment Lead for North East London,  said: “It was fantastic to see residents coming together to celebrate Chinese New Year and really enjoying themselves. The performances were incredible. Events like this are a great way to bring neighbours closer, celebrate different cultures and strengthen community spirit.”