FCA Melbourne Chinese New Year Festival

The Melbourne FCA 2010 - Year of the Tiger - Chinese New Year Festival will feature traditional and contemporary Chinese cultural activities, festivities, dances, Chinese opera and singing, karaoke competition, numerous stalls of culinary delights, arts and crafts, Chinese chess competitions, lion dances, dragon parades, calligraphy and children's events.

The attractions are for young and old. In recent years the festival has been one of Melbourne's most celebrated festivals and is great for the whole family.

The 2010 Festival will begin on Chinese New Year’s Eve on Saturday 13th February at 5.00pm until 1.00am and will resume on Sunday 14th February at 10:00am and run through the night until 8:00pm. At Midnight on the 13th February, the countdown will be accompanied by the lighting of strongs of firecrackers, to usher in the New Year of the Tiger and chase away the bad spirits of the old year.

In line with Chinese tradition, there will be numerous displays of lions dances punctuated by beating drums and fire-crackers. During the day, the stages will showcase many cultural performances by Melbourne's great multicultural local communities and visiting Performance Arts Group from China.

The karaoke competition starts on the main stage from 8.30pm, on the Saturday night till countdown to the Chinese New Year.

On Sunday the 14th February 2010, we will celebrate the New Year, new fortunes and prosperity. The Millennium Dragon will be awakened to parade through the streets of Melbourne's Chinatown.

Touching the Dragon will bring great luck and fortune. The Chinese Lions will be out in force and Chinatown will be abuzz with drums, firecrackers, music, singing, food and families celebrating the Year of the Tiger.