Sydney is the place to be this February, and not just because temperatures will be hot and the beaches cool. Come 13 February, Chinese New Year celebrations will take the city by storm, stretching through to 1 March. If you've been looking for the perfect event in Sydney to help kick-start your new year, this is it - and many of the attractions are free.
Be at Dawes Point on the evening of Friday 13 February to witness the start of this vibrant, dazzling festival. Entertainment runs from 7pm through to 10pm, but the formal proceedings last just half an hour from 7:30. Free of charge, the opening night allows you to explore the year of the sheep with a luminous display of lanterns glowing against the backdrop of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. The lanterns are inspired by Chinese terracotta warriors, and it's the first time they'll be displayed in Australia.
The Lord Mayor will be in attendance and there'll be plenty of traditional drumming and lion dances to keep guests of all ages entertained.
The aforementioned lanterns will be on display at Dawes Point every night from 13-22 February, switched on at dusk and off at midnight. See these life-size warrior figures up close, standing 2.1 metres tall and lit up in shades of yellow, pink and blue - and don't miss the two horses that are also illuminated. Like other traditional Chinese lanterns, the warriors have been fashioned out of fabric and wire and are delicate yet impressive thanks to their large scale.
The warriors represent those that guarded the buried soul of the first emperor of China for almost 2,000 years. After being unearthed by farmers in 1974, the 8,000 warriors and horses captured the world's attention, and these special lantern versions have previously only been shown in China and the United Kingdom.
"Free of charge, the opening night allows you to explore the year of the sheep with a luminous display of lanterns glowing against the backdrop of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. "
Lunar Streets is another free event at the Festival, taking place on Saturday 14 February from 5pm-11pm. Located at Chinatown, Thaitown and Koreatown, Lunar Streets celebrates the best in Asian dining throughout the city. Head along with family and friends to take up one of the long outdoor tables set up streetside, with roving entertainment keeping you occupied as you chow down on noodles, broths and meats. Each street highlights its country's unique flavours and foods, giving you the chance to try a little bit of everything as you work your way around the area. Take in the coloured lanterns and festive atmosphere and enjoy the sounds of PopAsia wafting through the night.
Get ready to take a journey from the Sydney Town Hall through to Chinatown on Sunday 22 February when the Chinese New Year Twilight Parade kicks off. Culminating in fireworks at Cockle Bay Darling Harbour, the parade will celebrate all things sheep, showcasing lanterns, floats and projections throughout Sydney. Enjoy plenty of entertainment and stories throughout the parade, where both local and international communities come together to celebrate the Chinese New Year.
For comfortable, well-appointed accommodation that puts you right in the heart of the action, stay at either Mantra 2 Bond Street or Mantra on Kent, both of which offer ideal locations and all the mod cons you could desire.
Offering Executive Studio, One Two and Three Bedroom apartments, broadband internet...Read More »
Situated near Darling Harbour, Sydney Entertainment Centre, public transport on the doorstep...Read More »