Haymarket’s bustling dining and shopping destination, Market City, is gearing up to celebrate the Lunar New Year, ushering in the Year of the Snake with extravagant Lunar New Year festivities in what’s expected to be their busiest weekend to date on 1st and 2nd February.
Lunar New Year is a time of renewal, prosperity, and family reunion, where loved ones gather to celebrate the coming year with joyous meals, traditional performances, and cultural experiences. Rooted in centuries-old traditions, the festival symbolises health, wealth, and happiness.
From 8 January to 16 February, Market City comes to life with a series of exciting activities, including exhilarating high pole lion dance performances, free kids workshops, exclusive dishes, giveaways and more.
“We are thrilled to celebrate the Lunar New Year and bring its vibrant traditions to Market City,” says Ray Khoury, Centre Manager, Market City. “This year, our celebrations are bigger and brighter than ever before, and we’re excited to share a truly immersive experience with our community filled with spectacular performances, traditional cuisine and activities for all ages.”
This year, Market City is proud to bring a series of vibrant events to life in celebration of the festival, with highlights including:
- High Pole Lion Dance Performances: Acrobatic lion dances will be performed by the spectacular Jin Wu Koon troupes on 3-metre-high poles in Centre Court, showcasing this ancient tradition. This free performance includes a giveaway of lucky red envelopes and Year of the Snack plush toys.
- Exclusive Lunar New Year Dishes: The Dolar Shop Hot Pot and FUJI seafood restaurant will showcase bespoke dishes celebrating the Lunar New Year, available throughout the festival.
- Lucky Red Packet Giveaways: More than 5,000 red packets containing retail and dining vouchers, bespoke Year of the Snake tattoos, and gold chocolate coins will be distributed by the Lunar street crew.
- Kids Lion Dance Workshops: Little ones can get involved with Market City’s interactive lion dance workshops.
- Chinese Calligraphy & Traditional Art Workshops: Daily workshops offer an immersive experience in Chinese culture for both kids and adults through traditional calligraphy and art.
- Roaming Lion Dance Store Blessings: Jin Wu Koon’s troupe will bless stores across Market City with their roaming lion dance performance.
- Lunar New Year Décor: Market City will be transformed with bespoke decorations, including custom-designed inflatable snakes in Centre Court and a towering display of neon signs featuring messages of health, wealth, and happiness.
- Lunar New Year Street Festival: On 1 February, the celebration will spill out onto surrounding streets with the City Of Sydney Lunar Streets Festival offering a vibrant street festival featuring street stalls, cultural performances, and community entertainment.
The nearby Darling Square is also celebrating Lunar New Year and the ‘Year of the Snake’ with live snake shows, a lantern display, cultural performances, festive food and beverage offerings and special offers from retailers across the precinct.
Visitors can get up close with this year’s Chinese zodiac sign and meet a snake on Saturday, 8 and 15 February. Hold, touch and take a photo with Australian pythons and learn about these fascinating creatures from expert reptile wranglers.
Anchored in the centre of the precinct, visitors will be immersed in a sea of light with hundreds of traditional lanterns lighting up every night from 5pm. This has become a tradition in Darling Square, with visitors heading to the precinct annually to view the brilliant lanterns.
Catch live singers in the Square on Saturdays from 5pm and roving performances. Adding to the festivities, community performers will take to the streets bringing colour, music and movement to Hay Street on 31st January from 6pm as part of the Sydney Lunar Festival.
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