Best free Lunar New Year celebrations in Melbourne 2026
Lunar New Year in Melbourne is something special. The sounds, the colour, the drums, the crackle of firecrackers… You can feel it in your chest before you even see it. This year, we are shedding the skin of the Snake and galloping straight into the Year of the Fire Horse on 17 February, and the energy already feels electric!
This guide is very close to my heart. My son is absolutely obsessed with lion dances and dragons. So this year, we decided to fully lean in and build a proper Lunar New Year adventure around Melbourne, hunting down the best free, family-friendly festivities we could find. From lion dances to dragon parades, street food, cultural performances and that buzzing community feeling Melbourne does so well.
If you know of a Lunar New Year celebration I have missed, please message me as I love keeping this list growing.
A quick PSA worth reading
Each festival has its own flavour and flair. They are all fun in their own way and worth visiting if you can.
The Melbourne Chinatown Festival is the busiest by far, with crowds exceeding 200,000 people on peak days. The biggest moments include the Lion Dance shows at 10am and 3:30pm at the intersection of Little Bourke Street and Russell Street, lion dance shop blessings running throughout the day, and the Dai Loong processional dragon parade around 1pm, which is a highlight across all the festivals.
Want to be part of the dragon?
The Melbourne Dai Loong Big Dragon needs a huge team of volunteers to bring it to life. It was once the world’s longest processional dragon and truly sits at the heart of Lunar New Year celebrations in Melbourne.
If you want to get involved, you can find more info here:
melbournedailoong.com.au
🏮 Richmond Victoria Street Lunar Festival
📍 Victoria St between Hoddle St and Church St, Richmond VIC 3121
📅 Sunday Feb 1
⏰ 12pm to 10pm
Lion dances, firecrackers, 50 plus food stalls, family activities, face painting and a Bánh Mì eating competition.
🏮 Manningham Chinese New Year Festival
📍 Jackson Ct, Doncaster East VIC 3109
📅 Saturday Feb 7
⏰ 10am to midnight
Lion dances, cultural performances, market stalls, family activities and fireworks at 9:30pm.
🏮 Preston Central and Market Lunar New Year
📍 High St and Preston Market, Preston VIC 3072
📅 Saturday Feb 7 and Sunday Feb 8
⏰ Sat 12pm to 3pm | Sun 9am to 3pm
Lion dance blessings through High St and celebrations at Preston Market.
🏮 Sunshine Lunar New Year Festival
📍 Hampshire Rd, Sunshine VIC 3020
📅 Sunday Feb 8
⏰ 12pm to 10pm
Live entertainment, street performers, rides, face painting, lion and dragon dancing and firecrackers.
🏮 Crown Lunar New Year Atrium Performances
📍 Atrium Stairs, Crown Melbourne
📅 Friday Feb 13 to Sunday Feb 22
⏰ Weekdays 7pm and 9pm | Sat and Sun 4pm, 7pm and 9pm
Short but spectacular 15 minute cultural performances.
🏮 Emporium Melbourne Lunar New Year Lion Dances
📍 Emporium Melbourne, 287 Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000
📅 Saturday Feb 14, Tuesday Feb 17 and Saturday Feb 21
⏰ Sat 14 Feb 1pm to 1.45pm | Tue 17 Feb 2pm to 2.45pm | Sat 21 Feb 1pm to 1.45pm
Traditional lion dance performances roaming through the centre to celebrate luck, prosperity and joy. A classic Lunar New Year moment right in the heart of the CBD.
🏮 Chadstone Lunar New Year
📍 Chadstone Shopping Centre, 1341 Dandenong Road, Malvern East VIC 3148
📅 Feb 5 – Mar 1
⏰ Lion Dance on Sat Feb 14 at 10am | Tue Feb 17 at 5pm
Celebrate the Year of the Horse with traditional lion dance performances bringing colour, energy and festive spirit to Chadstone. Catch the lion dance on Ground Level near Tiffany and Co. on Saturday morning, then again in The Dining Laneway near Yo Chi on Tuesday evening. Part of Chadstone’s wider Lunar New Year celebrations running from Feb 5 to Mar 1, including the House of the Fire Horse installation and seasonal activations throughout the centre.
🏮 Westfield Knox Lunar New Year
📍 Westfield Knox, 425 Burwood Highway, Wantirna South VIC 3152
📅 Feb 3 to Feb 23
⏰ Lion dance on Saturday Feb 14 (Knox Ozone) and Saturday Feb 21 at 3pm (location TBA)
Celebrate Lunar New Year at Westfield Knox with vibrant lion dance performances in centre. On Feb 14 the performance begins in Ozone near Village Cinemas, with a second performance on Feb 21 at 3pm location to be announced. Part of Westfield Knox’s Year of the Horse celebrations running from Feb 3 to Feb 23, including a Zodiac Gallery, wishing trees, lantern installations and festive surprises throughout the centre.
🏮 Bendigo Lunar New Year Community Celebration
📍 Dai Gum San Precinct, Bendigo VIC
📅 Saturday Feb 14
⏰ 4pm to 7pm
Community focused celebrations in Bendigo’s cultural precinct.
🏮 Springvale Lunar New Year Festival
📍 Springvale Activity Centre, Buckingham, Balmoral and Windsor Ave, Springvale VIC 3171
📅 Sunday Feb 15
⏰ 10am to 10pm
Large scale street festival with performances, food, stalls and family activities.
🏮 Lunar New Year in the Park – Summer in the Park
📍 Balwyn Park – 206A Whitehorse Road, Balwyn VIC 3103
📅 Sunday Feb 15
⏰ 4pm to 6pm
A relaxed, family friendly outdoor celebration with traditional dance, live music and lion dancers. Bring a picnic and enjoy community performances on the grass. Completely free and easygoing.
🏮 Spencer Outlet Centre Lion Dance
📍 Spencer Outlet Centre, Melbourne VIC 3000
📅 Sunday Feb 16
⏰ 12pm to 1pm
Lion dance performance outside TK Maxx.
🏮 Melbourne Chinatown Lunar New Year’s Eve
📍 Little Bourke St and Chinatown Precinct, Melbourne VIC 3000
📅 Monday Feb 16
⏰ 5:30pm to 10:30pm
Traditional shop blessings, performances and firecrackers throughout the evening.
🏮 QV Lunar New Year at Happy Horse Noodle Bar
📍 Cnr Lonsdale St and Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3000
📅 Feb 16 to Mar 1
⏰ Daily 10am to 10pm
Immersive noodle bar installation, AR experiences, photo walls and cultural storytelling.
Dragon and lion dances at QV on:
📅 Sunday Feb 16, Monday Feb 17, Friday Feb 21 and Saturday Feb 22
⏰ Feb 16 at 5:30pm
⏰ Feb 17 at 5:30pm
⏰ Feb 21 at 5:30pm including Dragon Dance
⏰ Feb 22 at 5pm including Dragon Dance
🏮 Braybrook Quang Minh Tet Lunar New Year
📍 Quang Minh Temple, 18 Burke St, Braybrook VIC 3019
📅 Monday Feb 16 to Tuesday Feb 17
⏰ Times vary
Traditional celebrations at the temple with fireworks typically at midnight on the 16th.
🏮 Queen Victoria Market Lunar New Year
📍 Queen St, Melbourne VIC 3000
📅 Friday 20 Feb
⏰ From 10am – 11pm
Lion dance performance, red lantern displays and Lucky Cat installations.
🏮 Melbourne Chinatown Lunar New Year’s Day
📍 Little Bourke St and Chinatown Precinct, Melbourne VIC 3000
📅 Tuesday Feb 17
⏰ 5:30pm to 10:30pm
Traditional shop blessings, performances and street firecrackers.
🏮 Collins Square Lunar New Year Lion and Dragon Dance
📍 Collins Square, 727 Collins St, Docklands VIC 3008
📅 Tuesday Feb 17
⏰ 11.30am to 12pm
A vibrant Year of the Horse celebration featuring a spectacular Lion and Dragon Dance set among a stunning 4 metre blossom tree display. The performance begins on Collins Street before moving through to the Main Retail Plaza, bringing music, traditional blessings and big Lunar New Year energy. Free event and no booking required.
🏮 Melbourne Museum Lunar New Year
📍 11 Nicholson St, Carlton VIC 3053
📅 Saturday Feb 21
⏰ 10am to 3pm
Lion and dragon dances, ribbon fan dance and special Phar Lap celebrations. Lion dance at 10:30am.
🏮 Box Hill Lunar New Year Festival
📍 Main St, Market St and Whitehorse Rd, Box Hill VIC 3128
📅 Saturday Feb 21
⏰ All day
Over 100 stalls, 14 hours of performances, lion and dragon dances, firecrackers and fireworks at 9:30pm and midnight.
🏮 Glen Huntly Lunar New Year Village Festival
📍 Glen Huntly Village, Main St, Glen Huntly VIC 3163
📅 Saturday Feb 21
⏰ 12pm to 3pm
Free kids activities, lion dance performance and festive village vibes across cafes.
🏮 South Melbourne Market Lunar New Year Lion Dance
📍 South Melbourne Market – 322 to 326 Coventry St, South Melbourne VIC 3205
📅 Saturday Feb 21
⏰ 9am to 11.30am
Classic roaming lion dance performances through the market to welcome prosperity and good luck. Lively, colourful and free, with earplugs available for little ones if needed.
🏮 Open Space – Lunar New Year Night at Bunjil Place
📍 Bunjil Place Plaza, 2 Patrick NE Drive, Narre Warren VIC 3805
📅 Saturday Feb 21
⏰ 6pm to 9pm
A lively outdoor Lunar New Year celebration for the Year of the Horse with live music, lion dance, art and food trucks. Expect Hung Hing Lion Dance’s high impact pole performance, a genre blending jazz fusion set from Elysian Blues, and a DJ set by Yeo. There are hands on creative activities for kids too.
🏮 Melbourne Chinatown Lunar New Year Festival
📍 Russell St, Little Bourke St, Chinatown Plaza and surrounds, Melbourne VIC 3000
📅 Sunday Feb 22
⏰ 10am to 8pm
Lion and dragon dances, opening ceremony, all day performances, dragon parade, Baijiu Garden, DJs and cultural activations. Arrive early as crowds build fast.
🏮 NGV Lunar New Year
📍 180 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne VIC 3006
📅 Sunday Feb 22
⏰ 10am to 5pm
Dragon dance, Beijing opera, Mahjong, talks, tours and food stalls. Free entry.
🏮 Immigration Museum Lunar New Year
📍 400 Flinders St, Melbourne VIC 3000
📅 Sunday Feb 22
⏰ Times vary
Ribbon fan dance workshop, guzheng performance, lantern making and bilingual story time. Free entry.
🏮 Glen Waverley Lunar New Year Festival
📍 Kingsway, Glen Waverley VIC 3150
📅 Sunday Mar 1
⏰ 11am to 9pm
Major street festival with food stalls, performances and cultural celebrations.
🏮 Wyndham Multicultural Lunar Festival
📍 Main St, Point Cook Stockland VIC 3030
📅 Sunday Mar 1
⏰ 11am to 7:30pm
Nearly 400 performers, lion dances, martial arts, acrobatics, workshops and market stalls.
Tips for enjoying Lunar New Year celebrations with kids
- Lion and dragon dances draw the biggest crowds, so arrive early.
- Firecrackers can be loud, so ear protection helps for younger kids.
- Public transport is your friend as many streets close.
- Check event pages on the day for timing updates.
- If you know of another celebration, please message me so I can add it.
One important note for dog owners
Please do not bring dogs to Lunar New Year festivals. Firecrackers are extremely stressful and traumatic for dogs. They won’t enjoy it, even if you do.
Final thoughts
Lunar New Year in Melbourne is bold, joyful and deeply community driven. These family-friendly festivities are a brilliant way to celebrate culture, food and tradition together. We will absolutely be chasing as many lion dances as possible this year, and I know my little dragon fan is going to lose his mind more than once.
Follow along on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok for live updates and last-minute finds, and keep checking back here as I add more events.
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