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Celebrate the Lunar New Year with a mix of history, culture and exciting activities right here in Perth! Discover the traditions behind this iconic holiday, its unique celebrations across Asia and where you can join the fun right here in WA.
What is Lunar New Year?
Lunar New Year, sometimes also known as the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year, marks the beginning of a new year based on the lunar calendar. It’s a time to sweep away the old, welcome the new and celebrate fresh beginnings with family, food and festive traditions.
This ancient holiday has roots in lunar calendar systems, with each new year starting with the moon arriving at the nearest midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox.
There are many different rituals and festivities associated with the festival, like the famous tale of the Nian, a monster who feared loud noises, bright lights and the colour red, explaining the explosion of firecrackers, red decorations and cheerful celebrations during this time to ward the monster away.
Some households are thoroughly cleaned, symbolising ridding the previous year’s bad luck and welcoming in good luck for the coming year.
Lunar New Year around Asia
Did you know Lunar New Year isn’t just celebrated in China? Different cultures across Asia embrace this holiday in their own ways:
- Vietnam: Known as Tết, this celebration includes honouring ancestors and giving out “lucky money” in red envelopes.
- South Korea: Called Seollal, Koreans celebrate with traditional games and enjoy tteokguk (rice cake soup).
- Malaysia and Singapore: Festivities here include lion dances, house visitations and tossing yusheng (a raw fish salad) for prosperity.
Delicious traditional foods
Lunar New Year is also a feast for your taste buds! Some iconic dishes include:
- Dumplings: Said to bring wealth because they resemble gold ingots.
- Ong Lai (pineapples tarts): Ong Lai translates to “fortune come,” hence, giving pineapple tarts as gifts symbolises the bringing of good fortune and luck.
- Nian Gao (sticky rice cake): Symbolising growth and progress for the year ahead.
- Spring Rolls: Representing prosperity thanks to their golden colour.
Whatever the dish, every meal during Lunar New Year is packed with symbolic meaning and love. Why not have a go at making one of this delicious foods, invite some friends over, cook together and share your plans for the new year!
Where to celebrate Lunar New Year in Perth
You don’t need to travel to Asia to experience the magic of Lunar New Year. Perth has plenty of ways to join in the festivities:
- Northbridge Lunar New Year Festival: Enjoy lion dances, food stalls and performances in Yagan Square or James Street. The annual free fair is one of the largest and most popular community events in the City of Perth, with an annual attendance of 35,000 visitors, volunteers and participants.
- Lunar New Year at Elizabeth Quay: On a warm summer’s night, what could be more perfect than shopping at the 60 market stalls, watching traditional performances and being captivated by the lion and dragon dances along the river.
- Lunar New Year feasts: Welcome the year of the snake with one of the many booked lunches being held around the new year. From fusion restaurants to the Chung Wah Association Chinese New Year Ball, there are many different options suiting different budgets, to dine on traditional, delicious food.
Lunar New Year is more than a celebration, it’s a reminder of renewal, gratitude and connection. Whether you’re enjoying traditional food, exploring Perth’s events or simply wishing friends “Xīn niǎn kuài lè (新年快乐)” (Happy New Year), there’s something for everyone to love about this special time of year.
Ready to celebrate? Start marking your calendars and join the festivities!
