For 2011, it's on Thursday, 3rd February.
This year is a little different because the animal representing the year is different for Chinese and Vietnamese communities - it's rabbit for Chinese and cat for Vietnamese. Why is it different?
In Sydney, celebrations are usually organised by local councils with support from the local Asian community.
Want to see, feel and taste this festival which is the largest Asian festival in the world?
Noodlies readers have asked me if there's a Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year festival in Sydney. The answer is, heaps! Whether you live in Sydney's CBD, inner, north, west or south, there's a festival where you can experience all the fun and spectacle.
If you know if any others, please email me to update this list....
And thanks to Rei for letting noodlies know about Burwood and Ryde festivals, I've added them to the list below.
Sydney CBD: 28 Jan - 13 Feb The City of Sydney's Festival is large, loud and in your face, with events held in the CBD and Haymarket, this festival will have the highest profile.
Events include: Launch, Markets, Twilight Parade, Dragon Boat Race, Talks and Tour program and of course, Food.
Photo credit: City of Sydney CNY website
In its eigth year, Hurstville Council claims it's the largest celebration outside Sydney CBD, with some 30,000 people enjoying the festival celebrations.
The main event, the Street Festival takes place on Forrest Road on 29th January. Other events include a Chinese Film Festival at the Civic Theatre, Exhibition at the Hurstville Museum and Children's activities at the City Library. Photo credit Hurstville Council.
Held in Kogarah Town Centre, the Council says it will provide a colourful mix of Chinese performances including dancing, singing, a martial arts demonstration and the ever-popular traditional lion dance with fire crackers.
Photo credit: Kogarah Council.
A relatively modest celebration at Council Chambers on Bryant Street.
Activities include Lion Dance, Chinese National Magic, Traditional Chinese musical instruments, ancient Chinese Palace Dance, CASS Children's Ballet, Tai Chi Fan Dance, Cantonese Opera, Red Lantern Dance, Traditional Chinese New Year singing and dancing.
Organised by Fairfield Council, the event is over two days in 2011 and the emphasis is stronger on being a Vietnamese celebration given Australia's largest Vietnamese population resides in this council area. Expect street stalls and eat at the 60 odd restaurants in the area.
Photo credit: Fairfield Advance.
Organised by the Vietnamese community, this event usually lasts for three days, including night events.
Held at Fairfield Showground and attracting over 60,000 people, if you want to experiennce how Vietnamese celebrate Tet, including great food, this is the one to go to. Photo credit: VCA.
Lion dances, God of Good Fortune, New Year Garden, amusement rides, children's activities, together with non-stop entertainment at Bankstown City Plaza.
Photo credit: Bankstown Council.
Organised by Willoughby council this modest event aims to bring the colour of the year of the rabbit to Sydney's north.
Chatswood Mall comes alive with markets, food, singing and dancing.
Full program.
Photo credit: Willoughby Council.
The actual festival is on 12 Feb with lion dance, Korean marshall arts, entertainment and the finals of a cooking competition. Full details.
Photo credit: Ryde Council.
This Burwood Council evening event includes chinese music, acrobats, magicians, lion dancing and fireworks.
Photo credit: Burwwod Council
Lunar New Year will be celebrated with the usual cultural entertainment. New for this year will be a gigantic banquet table where visitors can taste cuisines from many different cultures. Photo credit: Parramatta Council.
Canterbury Council is celebrating with traditional lion dance and will be handing out red envelopes (probably NOT containing money) and fortune cookies! They say the festival celebrates this important event in the Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean calendar.
Photo credit: Canterbury Council.
If you want to find out a bit more about Chinese New Year, Lunar New Year or Tet, click here.
If you know of any other celebrations around Sydney, post a comment on noodlies Sydney food blog and share it with everyone!
Wow, noodlies, great tips.. wonder if Marrickville is doing anything, do you know?
ReplyDeleteNice round up of the events, yay for year of the Rabbit (my year!)
ReplyDeleteAnon, Marrickville is doing something but it's an exhibition and that's about it.
ReplyDeletecongrats, missklicious hope your year will be wonderful!
ReplyDeleteTet was such an even when I was younger, shame our family doesn't make much of an occasion of it anymore, Mum just thinks we're all too old for it. I always love the specialty food that comes out at this time of the year though =) That part we don't miss out on!
ReplyDeleteeven our family is doing less and less for Tet, but I think the past few years we've started to celebrate it more... except my parents have just left for VN to spend new years there... what about me?!
ReplyDeleteThis is so useful. Great to plan out weekend festivities with the kids! Thnx for posting :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks.. Sneh wanted to make sure everyone, regardless of geography can be exposed to new year festivities... hadn't thought about it, but there's great colour for the kids too
ReplyDeleteHi Thang, its Rae (Etcom)
ReplyDeleteJust thought i'd add a few to your list:
Burwood is also holding a New Year celebration in Burwood Park on the 12th Feb from 5pm to 9pm.
Ryde is holding a Lunar New Year on the 12th Feb from 11am to 5pm in Eastwood Plaza, but will have firecracker, lion dancing, cooking competition and assorted activities the weekend before.
There's also the two-day TET in Cabramatta on the 4-5th Feb from 2pm to late.
My correction, you've got Cabramatta covered under Fairfield.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rei, I've updated the post to include both Burwood and Ryde... thanks!
ReplyDeleteWow, a great summary, even though I'm in the city this list makes me wanna go to all of them!
ReplyDeleteJust added Kogarah to the list.. now more than 11 places you can go to celebrate Lunar New Year in Sydney
ReplyDeleteYou might want to keep a lookout for one in Ashfield. They'd had them in the past but I've yet to see any solid info about an event for this year.
ReplyDeleteThanks Simon, had a look and couldn't find anything for Ashfield at this stage... although my attention's been drawn to a small celebration in Campsie which I've just added.
ReplyDeleteYou have an interesting angle, you are right that Chinese New Year really belongs to everyone who celebrates the Lunar New Year. My wife (Chinese) said they don't even call it Chinese New Year, but call it Spring Festival (like you said).
ReplyDeleteJapan switched to the "Gregorian" (Calendar) new year from the Lunar new year in 1873. But for Korea, this is still the big event! More than Christmas (even with 30% Christians) or January 1st.
The Korean community is doing so great things for the Lunar New Year (Chinese New Year) festival.
In Campsie and Strathfield they will have a Samulnori performance.
"Samulnori" is Korean traditional percussion quartet for folk music performance using four percussion instruments ― the jing (large gong), ggwaenggwari (small gong), jang-go (hourglass-shaped drum) and buk (barrel drum).
Samulnori combines the rhythms used in nongak (farmers' band music) with musical elements from traditional ceremonies and modern compositions, creates a synthesis of old and new, rural and urban, east and west, and combining elements of music and dance.
Samulnori refers to the performance of four musicians playing and dancing each with a different Korean traditional percussion instrument.
The music has irresistible rhythms, making heads nod to the clamorous beats, and unleashing feelings of elation. These quartets are popular not only among Koreans but also for foreigners because of the strong but harmonized beats.
Samulnori is very well-known dancing genre from the Korean countryside normally using 4 musical instruments. Each of the four instruments represents a different weather condition: the jang-go represents rain, the ggwaenggwari thunder, the jing the sounds of the wind, and the buk clouds.
On 9th Feb. 2011 Strathfield Square (from 12pm-1pm) and Campsie Square (from 4pm to 5pm).
They will also celebrate in Belmore Park on the 6th a dance based on food and you will like this one. It's 30 seconds to make you smile. The food is called Bi Bim Bap. And it's rice and vegetables, but watch how they make it into a dance. It'd be fun for everyone to join in:
http://www.twitvid.com/AFIRD
Really interesting, thanks Cyrus, I've added in the Campsie celebration too.. thanks for let me know.
ReplyDeleteJust heard you on the ABC talking about Chinese New Year. It was fantastic. Have just subscribed to your newsletter.
ReplyDeleteShucks, thanks Jess. Next e-newsletter will be out in a week or so with articles from my recent Asia Eating tour and some Lunar New Year stuff
ReplyDeleteanyone have more info on Fairfield show ground celebrations?? Tried to google but no luck :( thanks heaps
ReplyDeleteYep, went to Fairfield Showground tonight... here's the post, hot off the press http://www.noodlies.com/2011/02/tet-vietnamese-new-year-2011-fairfield.html
ReplyDelete