Dine and dance your way into the Year of the Snake with these Lunar New Year events on the Gold Coast
The Year of the Snake is here, so it’s time to kick off the Lunar New Year with plenty of feasting, family-friendly fun and a side of good fortune. From mouth-watering $5 food trails and buffets with mountains of moneybags to grand banquets brimming with Chinese delicacies, live lion dancers and dazzling light displays, here’s a handful of must-do Lunar New Year events and dining experiences happening across the Gold Coast.
Enjoy $5 plates, umbrella dances and street-party vibes at Southport’s Chinatown on Saturday February 1
Southport’s Chinatown is again hosting the ultimate Lunar New Year street party and the precinct springing to life with entertainment, activities, food deals and fireworks on Saturday February 1. Taking over Davenport and Young Streets from 3:00 pm, the family-friendly event will feature lion and dragon dancers, buzzing market stalls and fun-filled activities like lotus origami, woodblock painting and Chinese calligraphy. Get your groove on with roving fan and umbrella dancing, make a wish at the interactive wishing tree, snack around Chinatown to score the best bites in town on the $5 Food Safari, or settle in for a dumpling or hot-pot feast at Australia Fair Metro. The festivities wrap up with a spectacular fireworks finale at 7:30 pm.
Witness illuminated lion dancing at Magic by Moonlight at BroadwaterParklands from Wednesday January 29 to Sunday February 2
For the past few weeks, incredible light installation Magic By Moonlight has taken over Southport’s Broadwater Parklands, transforming the waterside precinct into an eye-popping illuminated lightscape with more than 400 larger-than-life 3D light sculptures (from a family of pandas to a seven-metre-tall dragon) brought to life by more than 30,000 lightbulbs. To shine a light on Lunar New Year, from Wednesday January 29 to Sunday 2nd February, the installation will also feature live dragon dancing every 30 minutes for the five consecutive nights.
Indulge in a buffet bursting with Peking duck and chilli crab at Citrique at JW Marriot Gold Coast on Wednesday January 29
Get set for an indulgent Lunar New Year feast with an evening of authentic Chinese cuisine with a side serve of lion dancing at Citrique. The mouth-watering line-up will feature traditional dishes like Peking-duck pancakes, chilli crab, steamed barramundi and an array of fresh seafood. Finish on a sweet note with decedent desserts like mung bean cake and sweet fried dumplings. Plus, you’ll get to enjoy the theatrics of live lion dancing, which will grace the floor at 8:00 pm. Bookings are essential, with sittings available from 5:30–8:00 pm.
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Settle in for an unforgettable feast at Akoya, The Langham Gold Coast on Tuesday January 28
Celebrate the Year of the Snake with an exquisite Lunar New Year buffet showcasing mouth-watering traditional and modern-Asian inspired cuisine. The Akoya buffet will be brimming with fresh chilled seafood and sashimi, and a selection Asian favourites like dumplings, spring rolls, Peking duck and char siu pork.
Feast on Chinese delights and fortune cookies at Southport Sharks from Wednesday January 29 to Sunday February 2
Celebrate the Year of the Snake at Sharks with a mouthwatering feast of traditional Chinese delights. From Wednesday January 29 to Sunday February 2, Frenzy’s will be dishing up a week of vibrant eats and festive fun to honour the flavours and traditions of the Lunar New Year. The celebrations kick off on Wednesday January 29 with a live lion dance at 7:30 pm to symbolise luck and prosperity. Then, it’s time to feast. Diners can dive into the special Lunar New Year buffet featuring the likes of Szechuan pork and chive dumplings, sweet and sour pork, steamed fish with ginger and shallot, classic lemon chicken, a Cantonese pork-belly casserole and more. Yum! You can try your luck with fortune cookies, and indulge in an array of traditional desserts each night.
Dine with lion dancers at Jasmine Room, Southport on Wednesday January 29 and Saturday February 1
Enjoy an evening full of flavour, fortune and fun at popular Cantonese dining spot, Jasmine Room. On Wednesday January 29 and Saturday February 1, Jasmine Room is celebrating the Year of the Snake in delicious fashion, treating diners to a mouth-watering banquet menu, with an electrifying lion dance performance to light up the restaurant at 7:15 pm each night. The special Lunar New Year menu features starters like crispy vegetarian spring rolls, prawn toast, siu mai dumplings, and the iconic xiao long bao. Enjoy mains like sizzling black-pepper diced eye fillet and honey king prawns with Yangzhou fried rice. And fortune cookies to finish, of course.