A TRIP TO ASIA WITHOUT LEAVING SYDNEY - CHATSWOOD YEAR OF THE PIG FESTIVAL 2019

This summer, Sydneysiders and visitors will be able to immerse themselves in the sensational New Year festivities of Asia without leaving Sydney. For the first time ever, Chatswood is hosting a three week long cultural festival, Chatswood Year of the Pig Festival 2019

Hosted by Willoughby City Council, the Festival will run from the 29th of January to the 19th of February 2019. The event will bring Sydney into the New Year in true Chinese style - with luck, prosperity and good health for all. The festivities will celebrate the rich cultural diversity of the area and wider Sydney.

The festival will include a variety of cultural events and performances that will transport visitors to celebrations across China and other Asian destinations. The Golden Market, a traditional end-of-year food and fashion market, and the Lunar New Year Twilight Parade, a traditional Chinese New Year street parade, will be the major allures of the Festival.

Other highlights will include the Taste of Asia Food Tours, guided journeys eating Asian delicacies at local food hot spots, and Flicks for Piglets, free screenings every evening of Chinese and English films for families. Chinese New Year, Celebration Day and the Chinese New Year Art Exhibition will also be visitor attractions on the Festival calendar. 

“We are excited to host the Chatswood Year of the Pig Festival 2019 ,” says Willoughby City Council Mayor Gail Giles-Gidney. “Chatswood is incredibly multicultural and this Festival will be a celebration of that cultural diversity and all the unique experiences the area has to offer.”

The Golden Market (29th January – 4th February) in the Chatswood Mall will replicate the end-of-year market commonly found in cities across Asia where people customarily buy new clothes for the New Year. The markets will feature over 35 various stallholders selling food, decorations, toys, flowers and clothes for the New Year. The mall will be decorated in theme with a giant inflatable pig entrance, lanterns and pig mascot.

Throughout the Golden Market, visitors will be entertained with activities such as calligraphy and musical performances. On display will be backdrops of Victoria Harbour, where visitors can take photos and imagine they are in the centre of Hong Kong.

For the food enthusiasts, Taste of Asia Food Tours will run over the entirety of the Festival. Visitors will be able to experience a rich variety of authentic Asian delicacies, including Chinese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese and more across popular Chatswood eateries with the knowledge of a local guide. Chatswood’s sensational food scene is well known for its popularity among the local community and foodies, which often sees the area heaving with locals and visitors.

Highlights of the tour will include local favourites’, Dodee Paidang and Mr Claypot, and the much anticipated restaurant, General Chao, which is opening in Chatswood this November. 

The Lunar New Year Twilight Parade (Saturday 16th of February 6.30pm to 7.30pm) will showcase the exciting fanfare of a traditional Chinese New Year street parade. The parade’s floats and props will move through the Chatswood Interchange, into the Chatswood Mall, down Victoria Avenue and merge at the corner of Anderson Street. Following the fun of the parade, visitors can settle in for the night at one of the many restaurants nearby.

Throughout the duration of the Festival, Flicks for Piglets will be running every evening with new release family movies. The program will include both Chinese (with subtitles) and English movies, specifically for the little ones to enjoy. Screenings will be free and families are encouraged to bring along their own picnic rug and chairs. Plenty of food options will be available at The Concourse for those dining in beforehand or wanting a takeaway meal for the movie.

More details on Chinese New Year, Celebration Day and the Chinese New Year Art Exhibition will be revealed closer to the date. Additional events and activities are also expected to be added to the Festival calendar.

Chatswood Year of the Pig Festival 2019 is brought to you by Willoughby City Council and precinct partners Westfield, Chatswood Interchange and Chinese Cultural Centre.

For more information, visit http://www.visitchatswood.com.au/cny2019/