HUNDREDS of people gathered in a sea of red and gold this weekend as Southampton celebrated Chinese New Year.
To see in the Year of the Rabbit, festivities got underway on Saturday with crowds gathering to watch free shows put on by Southampton's Chinese community.
The celebrations will now run for 16 days, finishing on Sunday, February 5 with events taking place across the city centre.
Parades marched through the city on Saturday where spectators were treated to traditional lion and dragon dance performances.
Children were also given the chance to take part in the free cultural and craft workshops.
On Sunday, a free show was hosted inside Westquay where visitors could watch a range of performances and take part in different workshops.
A lion dance opened the ceremony in front of hundreds of spectators and was followed by a Kungfu display, Taichi, Chinese folk songs, dance, and other cultural performances.
Lisa Douglas, 37, attended the performance with her two children.
She said: "It has been such a good morning here with the kids.
"We loved the lion dance, my girls have loved it.
"I think days like this are great because it teaches us about different cultures and traditions."
Ben Manley, 24, from Eastleigh said: "I was just passing through when we passed by this.
"We stopped to have a quick look and ended up staying here for about half an hour because there's so much going on."
On the last day, festivities will end with a lantern festival, which takes place from 3pm-5pm, at Guildhall Square.
Organisers are also accepting donations or any kind of help from independent businesses and organisations.
In Chinese culture, the Year of the Rabbit symbolises peace, prosperity and longevity.
It focuses on relaxation, quietness and contemplation.
The festivities are organised by the Chinese Association, WeCommunity and UK Shaolin, in partnership with Southampton City Council and Mayflower Studios (MAST).
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