Stand by for Chinese New Year

The sound of firecrackers and fireworks, drums and dragons will sweep Docklands during Chinese New Year later this month.

Docklands is part of a wider 10-day festival to welcome the Year of the Dog.

From dazzling light installations and street performances to outdoor food stalls and vibrant acrobatic dragon dance workshops, colourful Chinese New Year events and activations will light up city streets.

“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 body established to manage the festival.

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

The Chinese New Year program at the Docklands will celebrate across three of our most iconic spots, the Melbourne Star, Library at the Dock and the waterfront.

Date: February 18

Time: 10am – 12 noon

Library at the Dock: The library will come to life with cultural performances, traditional Chinese arts and crafts, Chinese tea ceremony and children’s storytelling.

Date: February 17-18 and February 24-25

Time: 10.30am – 3pm

Melbourne Star: The wheel will become a Chinese cultural hub over the New Year period with traditional performances, dance workshops and children’s activities.

Date: February 18

Time: 7pm – 9pm

International Student Chinese New Year Party: Melbourne has one of the largest populations of Chinese students outside of China.

The Federation of Chinese Associations (FCA) will host a celebration for these students that will include cultural performances from various student groups, a cross-cultural riddle solving competition and lastly, but certainly not least, a Chinese dumpling buffet.

Students will also have the opportunity to have their picture taken with Caishen, the Chinese god of wealth and prosperity.

Light show

Also joining the celebration will be 888 Collins St, which will display a selection of appropriate lighting combinations, including the dog imagery (pictured) every night between February 15 and 21. The show will run for 10 minutes on the hour between 8pm and midnight.