From high pole lion dancing to a giant 20-metre artwork, Parramatta is pulling out all the stops to celebrate the Lunar New Year next weekend.
As the world officially slithers into the Year of the Snake on January 29, City of Parramatta is encouraging the community to come together and mark the occasion on Saturday, February 1.
From 4-9pm, locals will be able to enjoy traditional workshops, cultural activities and plenty of mouthwatering food and tasty drinks at both Centenary and Parramatta Square.
This year’s highlights also include K-pop workshops by the Korean Cultural Centre, tea ceremony and tasting, SMASH character roving performances and mahjong and Chinese calligraphy workshops.
In Parramatta Square, a striking 20-metre-long feature artwork of colourful hanging flags and ornamental lanterns, created by western Sydney artist Chris Yee, will serve as the centrepiece of the event.
Yee said his artwork – titled ‘The Laundry Line’ – symbolises his childhood growing up in western Sydney, while also paying homage to his heritage and culture.
“Growing up in Eastwood, we had many different cultures celebrate Lunar New Year so I hope my artwork resonates with the wider community through story, humour and vivid colour,” Yee added.
“The artwork installation is a series of original graphic flags that at first glance the artwork installation looks quite traditional but upon closer inspection, reflect themes of local suburbs, mimicking the look of hanging clothes in a backyard, like a classic suburban Sydney upbringing.”
For the foodies, Centenary Square will be bustling with street food stalls offering everything from fortune cookies, dumplings, hand-pulled noodles, barbeque skewers, boba and sugarcane juice, to more traditional snacks.
Locals will be able to welcome good luck and fortune at the wishing tree and interactive altar installation at PHIVE, as well as try their luck at the Games Containers with prizes to be won.
The local library branches will also hold Lunar New Year workshops including dumpling making, food and tea tasting, paper lantern making and bilingual children’s story time until February 5.
City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Martin Zaiter said Parramatta’s Lunar New Year celebrations have become a much-loved tradition that gets bigger and better every year.
“Parramatta is the cultural heart of greater Sydney and I am proud of how our community comes together to celebrate our diversity,” Zaiter said.
“This year we’re doubling our performance stages and programming to include more activities with over 15,000 people expected to join us.
“The Year of the Snake symbolises transformation, ambition and wisdom which is very fitting for an emerging global city like Parramatta.”
For more information and the full Lunar New Year program, visit http://www.atparramatta.com.
Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group. A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University, she is a journalism Major. Ellie has worked with Universal Media, The Cova Project and for a range of other organisations. In 2024, Ellie was named Young Writer of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.