Chinese New Year 2026 Liverpool road closures as parade takes over Chinatown - full details
Discover parade times, road closures and diversions for Liverpool’s Lunar New Year celebrations this Sunday.
A series of road closures will be in force this weekend, as Liverpool celebrates the Year of the Horse with magnificent parades and dazzling performances.
Liverpool’s Chinatown – home to the oldest Chinese community in Europe – will once again play a major role in the celebrations, with the main events taking place between 10:00am and 5:00pm on Sunday (February 22) - including the incredible dragon, lion and unicorn parades. Saturday (February 21) will also offer a smaller, quieter programme.
With large crowds of spectators to line the streets, many city centre roads will be closed this Sunday, including Berry Street, Duke Street and Nelson Street. A series of diversions will also be in force for buses and motorists.
Liverpool Chinese New Year 2026 parades
The dragon and lion parade starts at 11:30am and finishes at approximately 3:30pm.
The unicorn parade starts at 12:15pm and finishes at approximately 4:00pm.
Both parades move through Nelson Street, Duke Street, Berry Street, Bold Street and meet in Great George Square at 1:00pm for the firecracker display.
A full itinerary can be found here.
Liverpool Chinese New Year 2026 road closures
The following roads will be closed from 6:00am – 10:00pm on Sunday, February 22:
- Great George Street
- Duke Street
- Upper Duke Street
- Nelson Street
- Grenville Street
- South Sankey Street
- Griffiths Street
- Knight Street
- Bold Street
- Seel Street
- Berry Street
- Back Berry Street
- Bold Place
- Back Knight Street
- Cookson Street
- Pitt Street
- Upper Pitt Street
- York Street
- Raffles Street
- Roscoe Street
- Roscoe Lane
In addition Grenville Street South, between Hardy Street and Nelson Street, as well as Upper Pitt Street will be closed on the evening of Thursday, February 19 until 4:00pm on Monday, February 23.
Culture Liverpool said: “Due to the closure of Berry Street access to businesses on Hanover Street will be severely restricted from Seel Street. It is recommended that any deliveries are made before 10am on the day.”
Liverpool Chinese New Year 2026 bus and traffic diversions
An alternative route will be via either Leece Street, Hardman Street, Myrtle Street, Catherine Street, Upper Parliament Street and Great George Street; or Upper Parliament Street, Grove Street, Oxford Street, Mount Pleasant, Rodney Street or Clarence Street to follow other locally signed diversion routes.
All closures will be signed and staffed. They will remain in force for the duration stipulated in the Special Event Temporary Traffic Regulation Order or such lesser time as indicated by the completion of the event.