Overview
Once again, the Chinatown Precinct is going all out for Lunar New Year, closing off Little Bourke Street (between Swanston Street and Exhibition Street) on Sunday, February 2 for a massive street party.
During the day, you can expect to find plenty of food stalls, local restaurant dining deals, cultural performances, a dragon parade, blessings, live music, a kids' area (with face-painting and craft classes) and a big pop-up beer garden.
The official party lasts from 10am–8pm, but the street will be closed to cars until 2am — letting folks carry on at nearby late-night bars and BYO restaurants.
But the festivities aren't only taking place on Sunday, February 2. The Museum of Chinese Australian History is also running a couple of different exhibitions from Saturday, January 25, and hosting a series of Shaolin kung fu performances on Saturday, February 1 and Sunday, February 2. Simply rock up to the museum's Shaolin Temple from 7.30-9pm on these days to find the monks putting on a show.
The museum has even teamed up with nearby restaurants to run a couple of cultural tours and dinners. On Thursday, February, 6, punters can pay an easy $88 for a culinary talk paired with an 11-course feed at Chine on Paramount.
And the following day, on Friday, February 7, museum staff will take visitors on a guided tour of Chinatown, which ends at Longrain — where guests can enjoy a big Lunar New Year set menu ($148 per person).
Longrain by Eugene Hyland
Lord Mayor Nick Reece shared, "There is only one place to ring in the Chinese Lunar New Year and that's at our historic Chinatown Precinct."
"Last year, more than 200,000 people flocked to Chinatown to celebrate and with new activations galore I can't wait to see what's in store as we make new memories and transition from the dragon to the snake."
The Melbourne Chinatown Precinct's 2025 Lunar New Year block party is running on Sunday, February 2. For more details on this event and other LNY celebrations, you can visit the Melbourne Chinatown Business Association's website.