When is Lunar New Year 2025 and where can you celebrate it in Australia?

As the Lunar New Year approaches, Australia is set to welcome a series of celebrations, with Chinese and other Asian communities preparing to usher in the Year of the Snake. Major cities across Australia and the globe will host vibrant festivities, including culinary delights, festive activities, and the highly anticipated red envelopes filled with cash.

Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, is a festival celebrating the beginning of a new year on the Chinese lunisolar calendar. The festival holds immense significance in China and much of East Asia, including Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia, with celebrations taking place worldwide. Each year corresponds to one of the twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac. This year marks the Year of the Snake, while 2024 will be the Year of the Dragon, and 2026 will usher in the Year of the Horse.

Lunar New Year has been referred to as Chinese New Year, but in recent years, the name has shifted to Lunar New Year to reflect that it is celebrated by dozens of countries, not just China. This year, Lunar New Year falls on Wednesday, January 29th. The date of the Lunar New Year varies each year, and next year it will be on February 17th.

Billions of people around the world celebrate Lunar New Year. In China, Lunar New Year marks a week-long holiday, during which millions travel back to their hometowns to share meals with family, set off fireworks, and of course, exchange red envelopes filled with cash. Asian communities around the world, including in Australia, also enjoy celebrating this traditional festival through festive activities, markets, and culinary delights.

Lunar New Year celebrations are planned across Australia, with specific events varying by city. You can check your local council for information on events near you, and here are some celebrations in major cities: Sydney will host a 19-day Lunar Festival, starting on January 29th. The City of Sydney claims it is one of the largest Lunar New Year celebrations outside of Asia. Highlights include the Haymarket street party and the annual Dragon Boat Races. Lion dance performances will also be staged, with dancers leaping across elevated poles.

Melbourne's Chinatown will also host festive traditional activities, vibrant displays, and cultural experiences. On January 30th at 10 am, the public can watch a lion dance performance at Mary Martin Bookshop in String Bean Alley. From February 2nd, the city will host a Lunar New Year festival between Lonsdale and Bourke Streets, and Little Bourke Street from Swanston Street to Exhibition Street. Brisbane will host a Lunar New Year festival offering free live entertainment, music, and cultural markets.

In many cultures, each year in the calendar is associated with one of the twelve animals of the zodiac. This year is the Year of the Snake, and here are the Lunar New Year years for the next few years: 2026 - Year of the Horse, 2027 - Year of the Sheep, 2028 - Year of the Monkey, 2029 - Year of the Rooster. Some Lunar New Year traditions include cleaning your house before guests arrive, buying gifts, and decorating your home with festive colors.

In some countries, children receive red envelopes (also known as red packets) filled with money from older relatives. Fireworks are set off on Lunar New Year's Day, reunion dinners are enjoyed with all family members, and visits are made to friends and relatives. Some traditions are more superstitious: some people avoid washing their hair on Lunar New Year's Day, and some also avoid the number four, as the Chinese word for "four" sounds like the word for "death."