From 1 to 10 February, Sydney will celebrate the biggest Lunar Festival outside of Asia to celebrate the Year of the Pig. 

The City of Sydney festival will include the popular Lunar lanterns exhibition, performances by Sydney’s Asian communities, Chinatown celebrations, dragon boat races, lion dancing, food offerings, and a Guinness World Record attempt to attract up to 1.3 million visitors. 

“Our Sydney Luna Festival will feature a wide range of family-friendly events, with something for everyone, from lanterns and lion dancing to international performances and dragon boat racing,” the Lord Mayor Clover Moore said. 

The Lunar Lanterns exhibition will line the foreshore from the Sydney Opera House, around Circular Quay to the Overseas Passenger Terminal with contemporary interpretations of the 12 animal signs in the Chinese zodiac. 

Four new lanterns designed by Asian-Australian artists will be unveiled, including a 5-metre tall pig lantern, 8-metre stack of monkeys, 6-metre inflatable ox and three 2.8-metre bright paper cut-style sheep. 

Lion dancing performances will take place throughout the festival, with performances every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night in Chinatown. 

In addition, illuminated lions decorated with hundreds of LEDs, will perform at Circular Quay on 8 and 9 February. 

Guinness World Record will be attempted on Tuesday 5 February for the title for the ‘most people eating dumplings in the one location at the one time’. The Largest Yum Cha Meal will take place at 11am at Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour. 

Further, more than 80 associated events across Sydney will be part of the Lunar New Year celebrations including The Rocks Luna Markets and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s Chinese New Year concert. 

“This is an exciting time to be in our city and I encourage everyone to join in this free celebration of culture, community and friendship,” the Lord Mayor Clover Moore said. 

저작권자 © 한호일보 무단전재 및 재배포 금지