Chinese ‘Year of the Tiger’ celebration, Vegan festival and Titanic family day just some of the events set to kick-start the season

Underlining why it’s a top contender for UK City of Culture 2025, Southampton’s winter and spring line-up includes:

Year of the Tiger Chinese New Year Celebrations on 6th February

It may be the year of the Tiger, but Lion and Dragon performances will also play a part in the Southampton’s Chinese New Year celebrations on 6th February. Focused on events in around Southampton’s Guildhall Square and the Mayflower Studios MAST, as well as an impressive ticketed show, there will be a series of free cultural and craft workshops. The celebratory activity will be followed on the 12th February with a Chinese Lantern Festival, again at Guildhall Square, featuring art displays, stalls and workshops. For more information visit:  https://visitsouthampton.co.uk/events/southampton-chinese-new-year-2022

Viva the Vegan at a new festival event on 5th March in the Cultural Quarter

Southampton’s Guildhall Square will enjoy a vegan take-over on Friday 5th March at the city’s inaugural Vegan Festival. The event will bring together a huge variety of vegan street food, artisan bakers, craft brewers, ethical jewellers, sustainable chandlers, local artists, zero-waste champions and environmental charities. For more information: https://www.veganmarkets.co.uk/location/southampton

SeaCity Museum: Titanic Family Day Sunday 10th April

Commemorating the 110th anniversary of the Titanic tragedy, Southampton’s SeaCity Museum is hosting a whole day of family activities and offering 50% off the museum entry on Sunday 10th April. It will include LEGO brick activities associated with the new LEGO Titanic model gifted to the museum by the famous Danish toy company.

The interactive SeaCity museum tells the story of Southampton’s historic connections to the sea, in particular its links with the Titanic, as more than 500 individuals from the city died in the tragedy. Families can also get out and about and make the most of the free to download self-guided Titanic Trail. This 75-minute walking tour with accompanying map features key locations in and around the city and port providing a fascinating backstory to the ship, its passengers and crew. Discounted prices from: £4.50 for adults and £3.25 for under 16s, a family ticket (two adults and up to three children) costs £13.50. https://seacitymuseum.co.uk

New nature inspired exhibitions at Southampton City Art Gallery January to June

Home to one of the finest art collections in the south of England the Southampton City Art Gallery will feature two new exhibitions in early 2022. Earth Art (28 Jan to 14 May) contains work by key practitioners of the Land Art movement, including Richard Long, Andy Goldsworthy and Tony Cragg; while a new exhibition by Julian Perry: There Rolls the Deep (18 Feb to 4 June) showcases 30 new pieces by the artist and explores coastal erosion as emblematic of a world in crisis. The exhibition also features works from Southampton’s internationally renowned collection that have inspired Perry by artists including J.M.W. Turner and Albrecht Dürer. Entry is free. www.southamptoncityartgallery.com

For news and inspiration about what’s on and what to do in the city www.visitsouthampton.co.uk