As the Chinese use the Lunar calendar for their festivals the date of Chinese New Year changes from year to year. The date corresponds to the new moon in either late January or February. Traditionally, celebrations last for fifteen days, ending on the date of the full moon. In China the public holiday lasts for three days and is the biggest celebration of the year.
Melbourne, with its large Chinese community, celebrates the New Year with much joy and great festivity. Yesterday we were at Southbank in front of the Crown Casino foreshore where all sorts of events were taking place. Now in its eleventh year, Crown’s Chinese New Year Festival and Riverwalk Hawker’s Bazaar has become an annual tradition in Melbourne’s Lunar New Year celebrations and has continued to expand its offerings. To celebrate the Year of the Snake, Crown Riverwalk features a series of activities and entertainment including cooking demonstrations, 45 food and market style stalls, a host of cultural activities, exhibitions and live entertainment including roving and interactive performances.
Crown’s Atrium was transformed with an elaborate Chinese aerial structure, clustered with delicate spring flowers, lucky charms, firecrackers and stunning internally lit lanterns. To commemorate the Year of The Snake, Crown has added to the Atrium decorative display, a 30-metre gold snake hand cut in perforated floral motifs symbolising nature's beauty and surrounded by eight lucky gold coins.
This post is part of the Scenic Sunday meme,
and also part of the Shadow Shot Sunday meme,
and also part of the Nature Footsteps Inspiring Photography meme.
cool ethnic feerie!
ReplyDeletexoxo, Juliana | PJ’ Happies :) | PJ’ Ecoproject
Your photos are breathtaking!!! I attended a New Year celebration when I was very young, and was blown away by the colors and textures of everything. These photos bring me back. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for this journey. Wonderful where alike is possible, and happening. Please have a good new week ahead.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a fun event. Wonderful photos too.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots. Terrific colours.
ReplyDeleteSydney - City and Suburbs
Wow, what a great series of shots of joyous celebrations... Kung Hii Fatt Cho!
ReplyDeleteGreat shots of a fabulous event Nick. We must have passed each other at some point in the evening by the look of the long shadows. Searched for myself in your crowd shots but alas I was not there.
ReplyDeleteHi Nick,
ReplyDeleteGreat collection of Chinese festival. Thank you for sharing.
I have never been in Melbourne for Chinese New Year! Clearly I have missed a colourful celebration! Love the masks and the swirl of the girl's costume as she dances is spectacular!
ReplyDeleteI think the second image is my favourite!!! Just the shape of the coiled snake, and the lights!!!!!!
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