Darling Square will celebrate Lunar New Year from 9 to 25 February with a series of cultural performances, live entertainment and festive food and beverage offers from retailers across the precinct. Perfect for both locals and tourists seeking to celebrate the new year, there is something for everyone at Darling Square.
The Lunar New Year celebrations include traditional lion dancing, with performances taking place on Saturday 10 February at 6pm and 8pm and on Saturday 17 February at 6pm, alongside DJs in the square to bring the vibes and ring in the New Year.
Anchored in the centre of the precinct, visitors will be immersed in a sea of light with hundreds of traditional New Year lanterns. This has become a tradition in Darling Square, with visitors heading to the precinct annually to view the brilliant lights.
On 10 February there will be a lantern giveaway. Every visitor who spends $50 or more at a Darling Square retailer will receive a free lantern. To make it even more special, a calligrapher situated in the Square will be offering a personalised message service for the lanterns from 5-10pm.
Darling Square’s retailers are joining in the celebrations with limited time Lunar New Year offers, including: ● Dopa by Devon will have Spicy Karaage Skewers ($8) and Spicy Karaage donburi ($18) on offer for those keen to embrace their inner Dragon. Upgrade to a karaage set to get unlimited rice and miso soup! They will also be giving out fortune cookies on the 10 February.
- Lillianna will be selling its special new handcrafted red HongBao (red envelope). Handmade and designed to blend traditional and modern elements, each HongBao carries heartfelt wishes for the New Year and is the perfect way to spread luck and joy.
- Gelato Messina are offering its Asian inspired classic flavours including coconut & pandan, coconut & lychee, and salted coconut & mango.
The McDonald’s Darling Square restaurant is unveiling a Lunar New Year storefront mural, designed by Asian-Australian artist Chris Yee.
The mural will be in situ from 10 February to 25 February and reflects McDonald’s ongoing efforts to represent the diversity of its crew and the communities it serves. The mural says, ‘Miss you and wish you were here’, inviting people to snap a photo and share with their loved ones, wherever they are in the world.
Chris Yee said: “Lunar New Year is such an important way to connect my family culture with Australian culture, and ultimately what it means to be Asian-Australian”. He continued: “My grandma couldn’t really speak English well. To connect with her, food was such an important tool and McDonald’s growing up would be such a treat for us.”
Darling Square is part of the Darling Harbour precinct which continues the Lunar New Year celebrations. After immersing yourself in all the Darling Square precinct has to offer, stroll down to the foreshore to see dragon boat races and jet pack water shows, or head to the Chinese Garden of Friendship for a private zodiac reading, a traditional Chinese tea ceremony and more.
