How to celebrate Lunar New Year in Parramatta
Thousands are ready to flock to Sydney’s west where Lunar New Year celebrations have kicked off in the city’s “cultural capital”. Find out how you can ring in the Year of the Snake.
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K-pop dancers, firecrackers and a smorgasbord of food are poised to make Parramatta’s Lunar New Year celebrations the “biggest” yet to welcome the Year of the Snake.
Official celebrations get underway on Saturday evening but Parramatta got the party started early on Wednesday when the Gods of Wealth, lion dancers and K-pop star Matthieu Lebourdais headed to Parramatta Square to preview the events.
The city is bracing for its biggest intake to celebrate the event in the CBD where there will also be lion pole dancers ascending 3m from the ground, a tea ceremony, mahjong and calligraphy workshops, Chinese horoscope reading and a “foodie heaven” thanks to 15 street stalls dispensing fortune cookies, dumplings, hand-pulled noodles, barbecue skewers and sugarcane juice.
“We’re expecting a crowd of 15,000 to come down to Parramatta Square and Centenary Square where we will have some of the best entertainment that Parramatta has ever delivered,’’ Parramatta Lord Mayor Martin Zaiter said.
“Parramatta is the cultural capital of Sydney and we’re very proud here in Parramatta on this Saturday to be celebrating the Lunar New Year celebrations.
“This is a celebration that’s celebrated by over two billion people worldwide so we are very proud here as the epicentre of culture in Parramatta to celebrate it with all of our friends.’’
Artist Chris Yee’s unmissable 20m Laundry Line artwork at Parramatta Square symbolises his childhood growing up in Eastwood while paying homage to his heritage and culture.
“From afar it looks quite traditional but up close the graphics are quite tongue-in-cheek, and have narratives to the Australian experience as well,’’ the 36-year-old said.
Saturday’s celebrations run from 4-9pm.
If you miss out on the Parramatta festivities, celebrate the Year of the Snake at Auburn Park on Saturday February 8 when Cumberland Council hosts its event from 5-9pm.
There will be traditional dances, lantern-making session’s family-friendly fun and delicious food including Japanese-inspired lamingtons and coffee, bubble tea and Filipino-inspired signature rice bowls.
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Originally published as How to celebrate Lunar New Year in Parramatta
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