Traditional dragon dance to bring prosperity, inspire wisdom, and ward off evil spirits.
Did you know that the Chinese zodiac calendar runs in 12-year cycles? In 2025, we are in the 6th year and it’s represented by the snake. Last year was represented by the dragon.
An even more detailed fact for the trivia-minded is that we are in the year of the Wood Snake! According to Chinese element theory, each animal of any year is connected to one of five elements: wood, fire, earth, gold and water. Thus, during the next year of the snake in 2037, we will be in the year of the Fire Snake.
Click here for my TikTok video of Sydney Lunar Festival’s Launch Night.
Want to discover more events in Sydney? Message me on Instagram or make an appointment for our personal concierge service.
The biggest day of Sydney Lunar Festival was Saturday 1 February, where a launch party lit up Sydney Chinatown. Thousands of people flowed through the walking path between the Ceremonial Gates of Dixon Street, the symbolic heart of Sydney Chinatown. A DJ vibrated the air with contemporary hits and street dancers entertained crowds.
I had never seen Dixon Street so busy before! Local restaurants including Super Bowl Chinese Restaurant and Mother Chu’s Taiwanese Gourmet were packed.
As I walked through Dixon Street during the launch party on Saturday 1 February, I was captivated by the glowing sculptures of snakes. The zodiac version of a snake is associated with the traits of resourcefulness and determination. It’s a snake that can “shed” its old ways to embrace new challenges. As we move into a year where geopolitical and economic turbulence may influence our day-to-day lives, the qualities of the zodiac snake are worth remembering.
My favourite snake sculpture is next to Harbour Plaza at the northern side of Dixon Street. It stands majestically and powerfully on a glowing podium. Currently one of the most popular photo spots in town!
Though I didn’t manage to capture them on camera, look out for the four gateways. Each gateway is uniquely hand-painted and designed to represent one of Chinese, Thai, Korean or Vietnamese cultures. See their exact locations on the City of Sydney’s government website here.
The snake sculptures and traditional gateways are available to visit until February 16, the last day of the Lunar New Year.
The launch party I visited was part of the bigger Sydney Lunar Festival, which runs from 29 January to 16 February. This Festival is supported by the City of Sydney and ran different events including lion dances, cultural showcases and K-pop performances. The program still has events which are free for members of the public to register. Check-out the local government’s website here.
In saying that, the launch party’s performances will probably be the best out of the whole Festival’s! The atmosphere was incredible with massive crowds watching speeches and traditional dragon dances. Later on, young performers turned up the cheer and street party vibe as they danced to DJ rhythms.
Adjacent to Chinatown, Darling Square offered a contrasting ambience. With a neatly paved laneway leading into a picturesque precinct of restaurants and romantic cafes, plenty of people migrated here for sit-down conversation. On one side of the iconic lawn you could get immersed in a tunnel of glowing lanterns, and on another side you could sit-down on a bench to catch-up with a friend. It was a vibe.
I ended the night at the perenially popular Nakano Darling, a late-night Japanese izakaya restaurant. Izakaya establishments are places that serve comfort food and drinks. Spooning my rice with curry and chunks of tender beef, I could think of no dish more comforting.
I’m Garry Ho, founder of Koalamate.
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