Lunar New Year celebrations have already begun in Canberra with the first of three long-weekends of festivities in Dickson’s Woolley Street starting last night and continuing through to Monday 31 January.

This year, Lunar New Year officially extends from 1 to 15 February as 2022 and a key date for many observers is Lunar New Year’s Eve, Monday 31 January.

Here’s a list of Lunar New Year events being held in Canberra to celebrate the Year of the Tiger.

Email [email protected] to have your event included.

Sakyamuni Buddhist Centre, Lyneham

The Sakyamuni Buddhist Centre in Lyneham will once again host their Annual Community & Family Festival, this time celebrating the Lunar Year of the Tiger, from 6pm until late on Monday 31 January. Free admission with all welcome.

Program:

• 6pm: Gourmet Vegie Food Stalls open, featuring dozens of dishes. Food will be available until late.
• 6.30-7.30pm: A courtesy annual vegetarian dinner, with all invited. Thousands of books on Buddhism will also be available for free collection, as will New Year gifts to all guests, visitors, and participants that will consist of lucky fruits and personalised New Year messages.
• 8pm: The New Year Music Festival – Prayers for everyone’s ancestors, parents and family.
• 8.30pm: Blessing speech by Abbot Thich Quang Ba.
• 8.45pm: Cultural performances intertwined with New Year welcoming message given by invited VIPs, MLAs and Community Leaders; New Year gifts presented to all children and adults.
• 9.15pm- Late: Crackers and Lion Dance 1 by Prosperous Mountain Team; the New Year music festival.
• 11.50pm: Crackers and Lion Dance 2.
• 00.10am: Prayers for world peace and family wellbeing.

Those attending the event are asked to observe Covid-safe behaviours. This includes to maintain physical distancing from others, to consider wearing a mask if this is not possible, and to stay home if you are unwell. 

32 Archibald St, Lyneham ACT

Dickson

Canberra’s own Lunar New Year Festival will envelop Dickson’s Woolley Street in a Covid-safe kaleidoscope of colour, sound, tastes and aromas over three consecutive long-weekends, with the first running from Thursday 27 January to the eve of Lunar New Year on Monday 31 January.

The outdoor festival will extend to Thursday 3 to Saturday 5 February, and Thursday 10 to Saturday 12 February. Entertainment is scheduled between 6-8pm, plus a daytime component on Saturdays.

The celebration to welcome the Year of the Water Tiger will include musical performances, dance and martial arts displays, workshops and a to-be-revealed SBS Television-sponsored element.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said that “holding the celebration over multiple weekends as a distributed event rather than one big street festival maximises Covid-safety as well as benefits to local businesses and the community”.

City Renewal Authority CEO Malcolm Snow said the outdoor street festival is “a safe, fun and enjoyable way to support small businesses while celebrating our community’s cultural diversity and activating Dickson”.

“It’s also a great example of what will be made possible by the Woolley Street upgrade works which are set to commence immediately after the event concludes,” Mr Snow said.

A stage and tables on the pedestrian elbow of Woolley Street, with dining-style seating in front of restaurants, will facilitate outdoor dining. Dickson businesses have been invited to be a part of the Lunar New Year Festival and will receive the traditional gift of tangerine trees.

Highlights of the program include:

• Music: ANU Chinese Classical Music Ensemble, Kim Yang, Ding Guili, and Lucy Sugerman.
• Performances: Project Beats and Red Cedar Traditional Chinese Dance.
• Plus: a yet-to-be-revealed SBS Television-sponsored element, Canberra Dragon Dancers, Fire Dragon Australia and Subsdance presents the Zodiac Story.

Those attending the event are asked to observe Covid-safe behaviours. This includes to maintain physical distancing from others, to consider wearing a mask if this is not possible, and to stay home if you are unwell.

The program details will be available at act.gov.au/cityrenewal/places/dickson/lunar-new-year. 

Royal Australian Mint

The Royal Australian Mint in Deakin invites little ones to welcome in the Year of the Tier at Mini-Minties on Friday 21 January 10.30-11.15am. Activities will be aimed at children aged 4-6, and the session will be followed by a complimentary coffee for parents and guardians. Cost: $10 (+ booking fee); ticket includes one adult and one child. Bookings essential; via eventbrite.

Kingston

On Saturday 5 February, see the Chinese lions from Canberra Lion Dance as they visit local Kingston businesses, such as the Book Cow, in Jardine Street/Green Square to bless them for the New Year!

Woden

The Hellenic Club at Woden will host a free performance by the Canberra Prosperous Mountain Dragon and Lion Dance on Sunday 6 February 2pm in the downstairs foyer. On Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 February at 1pm, you can enjoy Lunar New Year yum cha with a lion dance performance upstairs at Ginseng restaurant. Yum cha bookings essential; call 6282 9866.

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