Bring in the Year of the Ox

Celebrate Lunar New Year around Chatswood this February

Lunar New Year is always a bustling time around Chatswood as the community comes together to farewell the old year, bring in the new, and, of course, eat! (Our favourite.)

But just like many things over the past year or so, the celebrations this year for the Year of the Ox Festival will need to be a little bit different than you might be used to. All events need to be COVID-safe, so that means many events will be ticketed to ensure numbers are kept within prescribed limits. 

In addition, as restaurants remain operating at reduced capacity, advanced bookings are strongly recommended, or you can opt to feast at home with takeaway or delivery options widely available.

Chatswood Year of the Ox Festival highlights

Willoughby City Council has put together an absolute winner of a program for Lunar New Year with a series of events that will appeal to many members of the community. Given international travel remains off the cards, you can experience cultural highlights from China, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, Taiwan and more without even leaving the suburb.

Festival highlights include:

• The first-ever Lunar New Year Comedy show on Saturday 27 February. There will be two 75-minute shows featuring a selection of Asian-Australian comedians. Choose from 6 pm or 9 pm.

• A Chinese New Year Cultural Celebration Concert on Saturday 20 February at The Concourse Theatre. Performances will include students from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, martial arts demonstrations, traditional lion dancing, Chinese folk and traditional music, and contemporary dance.

• Precious Treasures exhibition from 3-28 February at Willoughby’s Incinerator Art Space. The exhibition includes painting, sculpture and installations curated by Guan Wei, with works by six Asian-Australian artists. The works explore cross-cultural themes, presenting each artist’s perspective on the fusing of Asian and Australian culture.

 And of course, the Festival Eats Food Trail

For many people, just like Christmas or Easter, Lunar New Year is all about the food. Of course, this is where Chatswood shines with some of not just Sydney’s, but the world’s, best Asian food right here.

The Festival Eats Food Trail brings together some of the best food destinations in the suburb, with many offering special Lunar New Year menu items. Some of our favourite participating venues include:

• 1Ton Noodle
• China Chilli
• General Chao
• LiLong by Taste of Shanghai
• Memory Tongue
• The Dumpling House

Some of the foods traditionally eaten for luck during Lunar New Year include:

• Whole fish for an increase in prosperity – and it’s traditional to eat the fish last with some left over to bring surplus for the year
• Dumplings representing wealth – and the more you can eat, apparently the more money you can make in the New Year
• Spring rolls also representing wealth

Desserts are covered with Gram, Hokkaido Baked Cheese Tart x Pafu, Tea Journal and Pishon all part of the food trail too.