The 2024 Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival or Lunar New Year is a celebration welcomed and celebrated by the Asian communities across the globe. Likewise the other parts of the globe, Sydney also salutes the dawning of this eve with the festivities in the Southeast Asian and the Chinese communities. In Sydney, this celebration is mainly located in the Haymarket area, especially in and around the Dixon Street, which is known as the conventional hub of the Chinatown in Sydney. This area becomes thronged with the performances, merrymakers and stalls.
Besides, a karaoke competition, martial art demonstration and visits from the dancing dragons and lions are organized in Sydney during this festival. Then this festival goes on with the cultural events and the Dragon Boat races at the Cockle Bay leading to a magnificent Twilight Parade with a great show of fireworks in the Darling Harbor. In the twilight parade, the streets of the city are illuminated as a magnificent procession of programmed entertainment weaves, community groups and different colorful floats.
As the Chinese New Year is considered to be one of the biggest events in Australia, the travelers and visitors, who come to Sydney during this time, are invited to different types of month-long events along with a free lunch. During this lunch program, people can enjoy different types of delicious dishes offered by different reputable restaurants across Sydney accompanied with entertainment and music.
The celebration of Chinese New Year in Australia includes different types of actions and happenings.
- The Chinese New Year Markets display different food stalls, art and craft stalls
- The street festivals that feature entertainment, arts and also the children’s activities
- Vibrant exhibitions of different types of fireworks, firecrackers and Chinese lanterns
- Music and dance by people wearing different types of colorful costumes to welcome the prosperous eve of Chinese New Year.
Besides, a number of Chinese families in Sydney spend this eve of Chinese New Year by meeting together for a joyful meal. The kids also get red envelopes with money during this festival and this is known as Ang Pao, Hong Bao or Lai See. The red color of these envelops symbolizes good luck, good fortune, success and happiness. The celebrations of the Chinese New Year last for around 15 days and throughout this period, it works like a busy time for the local Chinese people filled with different types of festive programs.
The Chinese New Year has different types of traditions and symbols. Every Chinese New Year symbolizes one animal name for one of the 12 animals mentioned in the Chinese zodiac. The flowers play an important role in the Chinese New Year decorations. Symbolic writings that refer to good luck are mostly seen in the business environments and homes. These writings are mostly written by using a brush on a piece of diamond shaped red paper. Moreover, oranges and tangerines are also displayed in numerous stores and homes as the signs of wealth and luck.
