How Sydney will ring in the Lunar New Year in 2024
From the CBD to the western suburbs to the harbour city’s northernmost reaches, there’ll be no shortage of Lunar New Year celebrations in the Year of the Dragon.
Confidential
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Sydney’s restaurants and high streets are set to host a smorgasbord of celebrations to usher in the Lunar New Year.
From swanky restaurants to street food, here are some enticing options to relish the Year of the Dragon, with celebrations stretching all month.
Here, Kitchen Confidential looks at what is going on and where.
CHINATOWN CBD
Gong Xi Fa Cai – Good Luck and Good Fortune!
Sydney CBD’s Chinatown is bracing for its busiest time of the year this weekend with final preparations being made ahead of Lunar New Year on Saturday.
Officially marking the beginning of the new year based on the lunar calendar, restaurants across Haymarket, through to Martin Place and Barangaroo are booked out.
“For the Chinese, it is equivalent to Christmas and Easter rolled into one,” James Wu, owner of Taste of Shanghai’s Lilong Darling Square, told Kitchen Confidential.
“It is a celebration of a new start, potentially good fortune and happiness anda new beginning, a good harvest. It is very celebratory. It is packed here at this time of year. We get more foot traffic here than New Year’s Eve (December 31).”
Nanjing Dumpling is, as its name suggests, famous for its dumplings, most notably Xiao Long Bao.
In Barangaroo, Crown Sydney will come alive with roving lion dancers and a giant dragon sculpture in the lobby.
And chef Sarah Briegel has curated an eight-course Lunar New Year feast at Crown’s Silks restaurant.
CHATSWOOD
The streets of Chatswood have transformed into a “radiant sea” of lanterns, dancers, food, traditional costumes and musicfor the official Lunar New Year Lantern Parade.
The festivities in the lower north shore community kicked off on Saturday, with locals and visitors invited to eat their wayaround town and discover “local haunts and foodie favourites”.
Participating restaurants around the Chatswood City Centre and Concourse will have a red Festival Eats sticker on their windowfor the entirety of the festival, calling all to enter and expand their culinary horizons while enjoying the community’s world-classAsian feasts.
Westfield Chatswood is set to host a full day of traditional lion dances and performances as well as plaster workshops onFebruary 10.
Those celebrating are invited to learn Mandarin and laugh out loud at the Lunar Community Gala on February 17 or enjoy an “East meets West” style symphony in Chatswood Park on February 23.
BURWOOD
Burwood is bringing the Movie Magic for Lunar New Year with Monster Hunt 2 and Lucky Grandma screened at the council’s OpenAir Cinema on February 17.
Live entertainment and delicious traditional desserts will follow at Burwood Park.
The city’s “two-day extravaganza” at Burwood Chinatown this weekend features Chinese calligraphy, market stalls, craft making,KPOP mixes and pop-up performances.
Visitors to Westfield Burwood can personalise their own red envelopes, while those at the Burwood Library can learn aboutfeng shui and astrology for the Year of the Dragon.
Mahjong lovers can meet at Burwood Hotel for weekly Monday challenges.
EASTWOOD
The City of Ryde is pulling out all stops for Lunar New Year, in Eastwood, from a live stunt show to a spectacular fireworkdisplay on February 17.
From 4pm to 9pm, at Eastwood Oval, families can enjoy cultural performances, lion high-pole and dragon dancing, traditionalgames, amusement rides, face painting and, of course, there’s food.
Ying Gan (pictured) owns 1919 Lanzhou Beef Noodle, known as its name suggests for its delicious handmade authentic noodlesfrom northern Chinese cuisine. It is a national chain of food restaurants, with 11 outlets in Sydney alone.
“Lunar New Year is for everyone,” Gan told Kitchen Confidential.
“It is a time to spend with family, friends and loved ones. And food is at the centre of that, always.”
KU-RING-GAI
The upper north shore community’s Year of the Dragon celebrations run throughout the month, starting at Gordon Library onSunday with events including a Chinese folk dancing performance, a workshop on traditional Chinese calligraphy and a chanceto try on some traditional Chinese opera costumes.
Also at Gordon Library on February 20, you can try your hand at Chinese flour dough doll building. This ancient art started1000 years ago and is still popular today.
On February 16, St Ives Village Green will be the venue for a Lunar New Year food festival. Food trucks and food stalls willbe at the Green, with visitors able to sit outside and eat or pick up a tasty takeaway to take home.
AUBURN, BERALA AND LIDCOMBE
A block party will be held at Lidcombe this Friday from 5-10pm, when you can enjoy the best of Lidcombe’s Korean cuisine andculturally diverse restaurants, along with dance, arts and K-Pop.
On Saturday, February 10, Auburn Park hosts a free family-friendly Lunar concert from 5-9pm, featuring traditional and contemporaryperformances, lion and dragon dancing, lanterns, food and market stalls.
On Sunday, head to Berala Community Centre for a relaxed morning of children’s arts and craft and culture from 10am to 1pm.
The Qing Fong Lion Dancers head to Woodburn Rd at Berala Town Centre at 10.30am.
CABRAMATTA
Spend the February 24 to 25 weekend in the heart of Cabramatta’s CBD celebrating Lunar New Year with lion dance performancesand traditional craft activities. Take your tastebuds on an epic journey through southwest Asia by walking along the mainstreet of Cabramatta and stopping by local restaurants who will serve up their signature dishes. A staple Chinese restaurant in the Cabramatta CBD, Vinh Phat serves a mouth-watering banquet – lines for this fan-favouritecan snake around the block. It serves all your yum cha favourites including prawn rice paper rolls, siu mai, ham siu gok andchicken feet. Make sure to finish off your feast with their beloved egg tarts and mango pudding before exploring the restof vibrant city.
HURSTVILLE
It’s only apt the home of the Dragons NRL team is heralding the Lunar New Year of the Dragon at Hurstville where 50,000 visitors joined the festivities on Saturday.
St George Illawarra Dragons NRLW players were on hand at Hurstville’s Forest Rd for meet and greets during celebrations thatwere the largest council-led Lunar New Year 2024 events.
Spectacular food and entertainment, traditional and cultural performances heralded luck and prosperity for the new year.
Taste of Lunar New Year tours run every Saturday until February 24 and Friday, February 16.
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