The Year of the Snake begins on January 29 this year and celebrations are about to begin in full swing. People around the world will be participating in the hopes of ushering in some wisdom, knowledge, intelligence, intuition, and creativity. Sydney is also embracing the spirit of the season with a spectacular celebration lined up. Lion dances, festive feasts, traditional ceremonies, live music, themed food and so much more will take over the city’s streets in the coming weeks. Find some exciting ways you can celebrate Lunar New Year and take part in the festivities happening around Sydney below.
1. Visit Haymarket for the Sydney Lunar Festival
The Sydney Lunar Festival is set to take over Haymarket for 19 days filled with events and activations. Expect roving performers, lion dances, illuminated night sculptures, and delicious street food in the area. Highlights include vibrant markets spotlighting local Asian Australian artists and small businesses, the Haymarket Street Festival on February 1, and the Lunar Spectacular Show on February 8 which will feature performances from Chinese, Korean, Thai, Japanese, and Vietnamese communities. Sydney Lunar Festival kicks off on Wednesday, January 29 until Sunday, February 16, 2024.
2. Head to Parramatta for Lunar New Year festivities
Parramatta is looking like the place to be if you’re in Western Sydney this Lunar New Year. On Saturday, February 1 from 4pm to 9pm, Parramatta Square & Centenary Square will host a massive celebration that will include everything from delicious food and live entertainment to workshops, games and even a lovely lantern decoration for all your Instagram needs. Head here for all the details.
3. Watch a lion dance in between unlimited rides at Luna Park
One of Sydney’s most iconic destinations is going all out to celebrate the Year of the Snake. Head to Luna Park on Sunday, February 2, 2025 to watch a traditional lion dance performance at 2:30pm, that will help usher in good luck and fortune for the new year. You can also enjoy unlimited rides throughout the day starting from just $34, making it an ideal occasion for everyone looking to combine this cultural celebration with some thrill.
4. Enjoy a huge celebration at Darling Square
Once you’ve had your fill of fun at Haymarket, take a detour to Darling Square which will also be buzzing for Lunar New Year this year. The celebrations in the vibrant neighbourhood are all about art, music and food. Expect lanterns, illuminated sculptures and more. Several local eateries are also participating with themed food items including Kurtosh, Wing Boy, and Dopa by Devon among others.
5. Explore Chatswood’s Year of the Snake Festival
Chatswood’s Year of the Snake festival features a vibrant program filled with art, comedy shows, music, live performances and lots of really good food. There’s heaps on the menu including a lantern parade, lion dancers and delicious eats across Chatswood’s CBD. There are also painting workshops, and stalls selling flowers and delicious Asian food throughout the neighbourhood. If you’re a newbie experiencing the Lunar New Year for the first time, Chatswood is the place to go to. Find all the details here.
6. Celebrate Lunar New Year at The Rocks
The Rocks’ cobblestone streets come alive every year for a huge celebration to mark the Chinese New Year. Restaurants usually serve up traditional dishes like noodles, sweet treats and dumplings among a whole host of Asian delicacies while roaming lion dancers make their way through the crowd — and you can also enjoy free movies at Laneway Cinema. The dates are yet to be confirmed at the time of writing, but keep an eye on their website for updates.
7. Watch an auspicious new year mural being painted live in Hurstville
For its 22nd edition, Hurstville’s mega Lunar New Year event will celebrate the area’s diversity and resilience through a vibrant mural that will be painted live over four days. You can watch as celebrated mural artist Zhuzhu (Guiyoung Zhu) brings to life a vibrant, large-scale artwork featuring an abstract snake taking the form of flowing water and mountains that spell out ‘2025’, and is inspired by the Georges River and traditional Chinese landscape painting. The mural will be painted live at Westfield Hurstville from January 27–30, 11am to 3pm, outside Event Cinemas, before being installed at Interchange Park on Friday, January 31.
The following day, Saturday February 1, a huge Lunar New Year festival will take over the streets of Hurstville — head over from 12pm for street markets, live performances and traditional festivities until after sundown.
8. Be amazed by a jet pack water show in Darling Harbour
Darling Harbour will come alive this Lunar New Year with a dazzling line-up of celebrations. Alongside vibrant lion dancing and dragon boat races, Cockle Bay will be the stage for thrilling jet-pack water shows. Performers will soar high above the water, propelled by jet packs and dressed in Lunar New Year-themed costumes. The jet pack water shows will take place on February 1 and 8.
9. Ring in the Lunar New Year at the Chinese Garden of Friendship
Head down to the Chinese Garden of Friendship and immerse yourself in Chinese culture with glowing lanterns, elegant tea ceremonies, calligraphy demonstrations, and more. You could even get an insight into the future with zodiac readings in the garden. Traditional Chinese musical performances will also take over the gardens for Lunar New Year. Find the full program here.
10. Spend the day at Lunar Streets
Lunar Streets will be held on Saturday, February 1 and feature everything from lion dancers to roving performers, pop-up food trucks, market stalls and more. The streets of Haymarket will transform into a hive of activity with performers from the Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian, Taiwanese and Japanese diaspora. Plus, keep an eye out for the 12 zodiac animal lanterns around Haymarket. Find all the info here.
11. Dive into Spice Temple’s auspicious menu
In the spirit of the season, the popular Chinese restaurant Spice Temple is bringing a feast of auspicious dishes to town. Menu items include baby tomatoes with sweet soy sauce and sesame seeds for luck, pork, prawn, and garlic chive money bag for wealth, and rose, raspberry, and chocolate lollipop symbolising love. The Lunar New Year banquets are available in Sydney from January 22 to February 5. Make a booking here.
12. Shop for something fun at Paddy’s Markets
Celebrate the Year of the Snake at Paddy’s Markets with a fun and colourful selection of festive treats and merchandise. Discover lucky produce, local attire, red envelopes, chocolate coins, lanterns, and beautiful decorations. Don’t miss the roaming lion dances to bring good fortune and prosperity into the new year. Join the festivities on February 7, 8, and 9.
13. Enjoy a bespoke meal at Lilymu
Ring in the Lunar New Year at Lilymu, a contemporary Pan-Asian restaurant in Parramatta Square with a lavish Lunar New Year Banquet priced at $110 per person, available from January 25 to February 2. Menu highlights include a curated selection of dishes including dumpling assiette with Layu and black vinegar, roast barramundi with ginger and shallot, and beef short rib with gochujang and perilla. As a special gift, diners will receive a Red Pocket with a $20 voucher for future visits.
14. Join in the festivities at Bankstown
Bankstown and Campsie are gearing up for a variety of colourful Lunar New Year celebrations as the Year of the Snake kicks off. Join the fun at Griffith Park and Olympic Parade on Saturday, January 18 at Bankstown, from 4-9pm. The event will feature traditional lion dances, a dragon and drumming parade, the God and Goddess of Fortune handing out red envelopes, and a thrilling firework display to round off the evening.