From 23rd of January to 16th February, Chatswood will come to life in an almost month-long celebration of Lunar New Year. This year, we’re marking the start of the Year of the Snake.

The 2025 festival will feature an array of different workshops, exhibitions, dance performances, night markets and of course plenty of food. 

Here’s what's not to be missed:

Draw your lunar fortune 

23rd of January to 2nd of February, Daily 9am to 5pm 

Experience a playful twist on the traditional practice of drawing fortune sticks, with a life sized activity perfect for kids and families to come together and embrace the good fortune of the new year ahead. 

Head to The Concourse at 409 Victoria Avenue to see what awaits you!

Infrangible Matter; Tracing the Elements Exhibition

23 of January to 23rd of February, Daily 11am to 5pm. 

Infrangible Matter; Tracing the Elements is a contemporary art exhibition that explores the five elements (Fire, Water, Air, Metal, and Earth) through cross-cultural perspectives.

Ten diverse artists interpret these elements from Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean traditions to address themes of colonization, environment, migration, and personal ritual.

Head to the Art Space on The Concourse to check it out.

Chinese calligraphy workshop

25th of January, 11am to 12:30pm.

Calligrapher Franz Cheung, a former president of the Australian Oriental Calligraphy Society, is hosting this workshop where you’ll learn to create your own “Fortunate Serpent” symbol.

Leave Willoughby City Library with your own masterpiece, with no experience required. Ink, brushes, and Chinese paper are all provided.

While this is a workshop intended for adults, accompanied children aged 8+ are also welcome but bookings are required. Children under the age of 11 must be supervised by an adult, with one child per adult carer.

This is a very popular program, so bookings are essential.

Celebration Day & Lantern Parade 

1st of February, Starting at 10am 

Expect to see over 130 stalls spread from Victoria Avenue to Archer Street, serving up everything from steamed dumplings to extra-long noodles!

While your stomach is kept occupied, you’ll be entertained with outdoor music and dance performances catering to both traditional Asian music lovers to modern pop fans.

Be sure to stick around into the evening, too. The Lantern Parade kicks off at 7pm. A tradition symbolising the lighting of the way for good fortune and prosperity in the New Year, the parade will see hundreds of lanterns, both handheld and large fixtures, illuminate the streets of Chatswood.

Eat your way across Chatswood

If you are unable to head to Chatswood on the 1st of February, keep your eye out for the Festival Eats red stickers on participating restaurants in the Chatswood area. Food writer Lee Tran Lam has curated places where you can experience traditional favourites or new flavours to help you decide where to have your next feed. 

Choose your own adventure

The local council has put together a range of events and things to do other than those we have highlighted above. Check out the whole list here.

Image credit: bady abbas on Unsplash x Photo by Mark Hansen on Unsplash