Turn of the Tiger

Welcome the Year of the Tiger right by joining the Chinese New Year Festival and Market Day in Auckland.

With the Chinese people in Auckland now reaching more than 100,000 in population, the commemorating the start of the Chinese Lunar Year certainly has become part of the region’s annual festivities.

As previous years, the Auckland Chinese Community Centre will hold the Chinese New Year Festival and Market Day at the ASB Showgrounds. The festival will be held on 13 February this year, 9:30am to 4:00pm, and expects to gather more than 20,000 people.

According to event organiser Kai Luey, “There will be indoor and outdoor activities at the Showgrounds, ranging from cultural performances to food stalls. There will be bouncing castle for the little ones and a special prize draw with a chance to win two returns trips to Hong Kong.”

Luey adds that, “Another very popular attraction is the sampling of exotic and traditional Chinese delicacies and food from Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and other Asian countries from over 50 outdoor hot food stalls,” adds Luey.
“This is a very popular event for both young and the not so young to enjoy. It is a firmly established day in Auckland’s cultural event calendar. We have had the privilege of the Governor General or the Prime Minister officially opening the event every year.”

This much looked forward to event is free for all to witness and participate in. Highlights  include:

• 24-person Dragon Dance troupe
• Official Opening by the Prime Minister John Key
• Acrobatic performers from China courtesy of the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Auckland
• Mu Yu Ming, a world famous portrait artist from Lijang, China
• DragonSoul, a Hamilton based band that mixes metal/rock music with Chinese musical elements
• New Nature, a traditional Chinese Music Chamber Orchestra formed by New Zealand School of Traditional Chinese Music and Performing Arts Charitable Trust
• Da Moment, a Chinese pop band, whose repertoire is a fusion of English and Chinese romantic music and love songs
• Hula Hoops display by Tsegi Batsuuri, a Mongolan Circus trainer
• Various martial arts demonstrations, tai chi, hip hop, and diabolo tricks
• The E-PACS lion dance group composed of 4 to 15-year-old kids

Click here for the map to the ASB Showgrounds.

Photo credit: Eventfinder.co.nz