Sydney celebrates Lunar New Year over two whole weeks

 

The City of Sydney will offer over two weeks of family-friendly music, feasts and performances as celebrations welcoming the Lunar New Year kick off. 

The Sydney Lunar Festival will include a bigger Sydney Lunar Streets featuring its own carousel, a 43-metre walk-through lantern installation with more than 750 individual lights, lion dancing and colourful banner galleries brightening up the footpaths.

Sydney hosts one of the largest celebrations of the Lunar New Year outside Asia, and the City of Sydney has overseen the festival for 30 years.

“All of Sydney is embracing the festival, with increasing numbers of people from communities that don’t traditionally celebrate the Lunar New Year taking part and attending events,” says Clover Moore, Lord Mayor of Sydney. 

“People born in the Year of the Horse are believed to be hard-working, independent and warm-hearted, traits that embody some of the key values of Sydney.

“The lasting impact of our hard work to revitalise Haymarket can be seen along the rejuvenated Dixon Street and is exemplified by the majestic Chinatown gates, whose restoration was completed in June 2025. These exciting improvements balance respect for the area's history with contemporary cultural expression will keep Dixon Street buzzing for generations to come."

Sydney Lunar Festival runs until March 1. 

Giant Jenga, Connect 4 and Snakes and Ladders will be some of the oversized games available to play during the final festival weekend on Hay Street.

Associated events including art exhibitions, food and drink offerings, talks, tours, performances and workshops hosted by several organisations and businesses will also take place throughout the festival.

Visit sydneylunarfestival.com for more info.

Image: City of Sydney, Abril Felman/Phoebe Pratt 

Sydney's $44 million facelift for Chinatown and Haymarket

Sydney's Chinatown/Haymarket precinct was looking decidedly down at heel when I visited a few weeks ago.

The Haymarket and Chinatown are now set for a $44 million facelift, with ambitious plans for the area endorsed unanimously by the City of Sydney Council.

The Haymarket and Chinatown Revitalisation Strategy and Public Domain Plan were shaped by one of the largest multilingual consultations in the City’s history, with more than 1,150 residents, businesses and community members taking part in discussions over the early plans and 350 responses to the formal public exhibition.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the community warmly welcomed the City’s commitment to more space for people walking, sitting and dining outdoors, creative lighting, support for business and recognition of Asian culture.

“Haymarket is one of Sydney’s most iconic urban villages and has long been recognised as a focal point for Asian food, cultures, and communities both locally and internationally, Moore said. "But the last few years have been incredibly challenging for the area.

“This is a perfect time for a new overarching plan for the area, and our communities have enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to work with us to celebrate the important precinct’s past and help safeguard its future.

“Through our extensive consultation we heard the community’s desire for a diverse, friendly and safe area that’s easy to navigate, with a range of food options and a streetscape that respects and celebrates the social and cultural history of the area.

“Our plans include a long-term upgrade of public space, with more trees, seats, lighting and integrated public art, as well as a proposed review of planning controls to support vibrant building signage and renewal of smaller buildings as a point of difference from the city centre.

“The community told us clearly that our first priority should be the heart of Chinatown, Dixon Street, so that work is already underway, and we will be restoring the iconic Ceremonial Gates next year.

“We will also begin public domain improvements to strengthen the identity of Thai Town on Campbell Street.”

The City will explore opportunities to boost community space in the area and increase cultural activities, as well as encourage landowners to upgrade rundown buildings and ensure vacant space is occupied. Innovative ways to improve maintenance and waste management in the area will also feature in the final strategy.

Image: Revamped Harbour Street. Provided.

Spicy future envisaged for Chinatown

A new plan to upgrade and reinvigorate Dixon Street in Chinatown has been unanimously endorsed by the City of Sydney Council. 

Consultation with more than 1,150 residents and businesses helped shaped the plan, which includes $5 million to revive Dixon Street Mall, restore its famed gates, install new seating as well as creative lighting overlays and improved services to support events.

 

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said it was important for the City to work with local communities to breathe new life into the historic area, especially following the impacts of Covid-19.    

 

“Our community in Chinatown was one of the first and hardest hit by the pandemic, and it continues to suffer while international tourism and study has not yet fully returned,” Moore said.

 

“While we have been safely activating public places and inviting people back to experience all Chinatown has to offer since Covid restrictions were eased, we’re excited to ensure its long-term future by reinvigorating Dixon Street as a dynamic space for people, daily life and culture.

 

“Our communities have enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to help us shape the Dixon Street precinct and painted a picture that celebrates the diversity of Asian cultures, food and history. 

 

“We know the renewal of the Chinatown Gates is incredibly important and it is a focus for us as we move forward with our plans.”  

 

Since 2010, Sydney has has initiated several public space investments in the Chinatown precinct. 

 

“Now, through our proposed public domain improvements in the heart of Chinatown, we will make the area an even more attractive environment for people to walk around and spend time, which will in turn support local businesses and economic activity,” Moore says.

 

Residents, businesses and visitors were invited to complete surveys and attend community forums in English and Asian languages to ensure they were part of the plans for the area. 

                                                                                                  

Contributors highlighted the need to reflect the cultural diversity of the area, increasing authentic and affordable food and retail experiences. They said it was important to respect the heritage and traditions of Chinatown while exploring exciting new ways to express culture. 

 

Key long-term priorities for Haymarket are:   

 

• boosting lighting to create a safe and colourful atmosphere 
• increasing events, activities and outdoor dining on the streets 
• more seating  

• preserving the local character and cultural heritage 
• extending trading hours to boost the thriving nightlife 
• more public art. 

 

Dixon Street’s management is split between the City of Sydney and the NSW Government, with Placemaking NSW (a name obviously created by a committee of creatives) taking over Dixon Street north between Goulburn and Liverpool streets and the City of Sydney managing the pedestrianised area between Goulburn and Hay streets. 

For more details see cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/haymarket-precinct