Chinese New Year Melbourne Festival

Chinese New Year Melbourne Festival welcomes the Year of the Dog with 10 days of celebration

The sound of firecrackers and fireworks, drums and dragons will sweep through the streets of Melbourne from the 15th – 25th of February when the third annual Chinese New Year Melbourne Festival returns to celebrate the Year of the Dog.

For 10 days, Melbourne will be bursting at the seams to offer locals and visitors alike a range of festive activities, entertainment and abundant feasts to enjoy.

From dazzling light installations and street performances to outdoor food stalls and vibrant acrobatic lion dance workshops, colourful Chinese New Year events and activations will light up the streets across the city from Queensbridge Square to Southgate Melbourne, Pacific Art Centre West Melbourne to Docklands, Melbourne Star and Queen Victoria Market. The celebrations will continue post festival at the Palais Theatre and Malthouse Southbank.

'This year we're bringing the best of everything to the Chinese New Year Melbourne Festival with ten days of festivities and three activation centres destined to bring loads of tradition, performance and learning opportunities for the kids, their family and friends." said Thomas Ling, chairman of CNY United, the incorporated body established to manage the Festival.

The Chinese New Year countdown and Chinese New Year's Day flash mob at Queensbridge Square are two of the Festival's major highlights featuring over 300 performers participating in a 30-minute performance.

Other offerings include storytelling performances, costume shows, Qi Pao, opera, stilt walking displays, martial arts and a special dinner for international students.

The Festival's lighting installations will include two large dogs at Queensbridge Square, as well as Happy Drum Lanterns, Flowers, Pandas and Peacocks spread out across along the iconic Yarra River.

The Chinese New Year Melbourne Festival will be officially launched at the Melbourne Star Observation Wheel on 5 February 2018.

The Festival acknowledges the support of its Principal Partner, City of Melbourne, Major Partner, The Victorian Multicultural Commission, as well as the support of The Federation of Chinese Associations and Chinese Youth Society of Melbourne, in addition to other key event and activation partners.

The full list of programming can be found at www.cnymelbourne.com.au.
Printed programs are available across Melbourne via Festival partners and their various activations.