Photo: cnymelbourne.com.au

Minister for Tourism and Major Events John Eren launched the 2017 Chinese New Year Melbourne Festival at Eureka 89 today, kickstarting 17 days of activities and events.

Our support is ensuring this year’s celebrations are bigger and better than ever.

Light installations, dragon boat demonstrations, lion dancing and a showcase at the Queen Victoria Market will headline the festivities.

This year’s events will engage Victoria’s 175,000 international students – some 30 per cent are Chinese. Activities will include Tai Chi, Chinese dance and a special ‘home away from home’ winner.

It’s all about demonstrating once more the renowned student experience Victoria is known for right around the world.

There’s lots to do in Melbourne, and in regional Victoria too. Geelong, Bendigo and Ballarat will feature unique traditional Chinese ceremonies, complete with music, martial arts demonstrations and one-off art exhibitions.

Victoria’s Chinese community is one of the longest continuous Chinese settlements in the western world, while Melbourne is home to one of the oldest Chinatown precincts in the southern hemisphere.

And China is Victoria’s number one two-way trading market, valued at more than $20 billion in 2015.

For more information, visit www.cnymelbourne.com.au.