Chinese New Year Festival

Farewell the Rat and welcome in the Year of the Ox!
Welcome to Wellington’s celebration of Chinese New Year Festival; dragons, lions, fireworks, delicious foods, colourful street parade, demonstrations, traditional arts and crafts, free face-painting – we’re planning so much activity, sort your weekend now, and don’t miss out!

Saturday 13th February, the Festival brings the city a spectacular Fireworks Display on Wellington Waterfront to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck and fortune for the coming year. Food trucks will be at the Waterfront from 5 pm to help ward off your hunger pangs and from 8:30pm the lions and taiko drummers will keep you entertained until the night sky erupts into a symphony of colour and sound – so make a night of it and enjoy the evening’s offerings.

Sunday 14th February, Festival Day is split into three major activities, come and enjoy!
- Asian Market, 10 am-4 pm at TSB Bank Arena and Shed 6 – fabulous foods like divine dumplings, roti-wraps, sweets, smoothies and sorbets, bbq meats, rice and noodles, just to name a few, plus traditional arts and crafts, demonstrations, and displays. The Family Zone on the mezzanine of TSB has free activities and engagement; face-painting, colouring-in, balloon twister, putiputi flax flower weaving and a ‘zone-out’ area.
- Cultural Entertainment, 11 am-2 pm at TSB Bank Arena – our stage show of performances – dragon, lion, drummers, , singers, traditional dancers and more; 3 pm-4 pm Celebrating 20 Years Showcase salutes the Festival’s 20th anniversary – a retrospective celebration of groups that have participated over the past 20 years.
- Street Parade, 2 pm-3 pm starting from Courtenay Place and ending at Frank Kitts Park, colour and vibrancy will liven up the city streets and bring a smile to kids and adults alike!

Happy Chinese New Year!