Head to Chinatown on the first day of the Year of the Rat, where the streets and laneways will be buzzing with food and entertainment. The street party marks the start of the Sydney Lunar Festival, the biggest Lunar New Year festivities outside of Asia.
Eat good-luck foods such as dumplings, noodles and glutinous rice cakes from one of the area’s many restaurants, market stalls or food trucks. Then take a selfie with a pair of giant golden robot rats, which will form part of this year’s Lunar Lanterns display in Circular Quay.
Keep your ears peeled for the cacophonous sound of lion dancers roaming the streets; after dark you may even see a luminous ten-metre long LED dragon. In addition to the roving entertainment, there’s the Lunar Spectacular Show featuring cultural performances ranging from Korean drumming to Japanese hip-hop. Carnival games, craft activities and face painting make this a treat for the whole family.