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Chinese New Year Festival
Celebrate the Year of the Dragon at the Chinese New Year festival in Box Hill on Saturday 21 January 2012 from 3pm to 3am.
Central Box Hill will come alive with a 12-hour event showcasing Chinese culture and celebrating Chinese New Year with activities to entertain the whole family.
Whitehorse City Council is proud to once again partner with the Asian Business Association of Whitehorse to bring an exciting program of entertainment and stalls for one of the largest Chinese New Year celebrations in Melbourne.
Traditional lion and dragon dancers weaving through the crowd to count in the New Year firecracker display will once again feature at the event as well as martial arts demonstrations, singers, dancers, games and amusement rides.
Visitors will also be able to delight at the vibrant spectacle of the Parade of Choi Sun (Chinese God of Fortune), visit or pray at the giant Buddha statue or be entertained by the Victoria Police Show Band.
Box Hill Mall will host stalls selling Chinese New Year souvenirs and merchandise including a market of unique Asian cuisine.
The festival will be held in and around the Box Hill Mall and along part of Whitehorse Road. This cross-cultural event is ‘Waste Wise’ and Council is working with the Asian Business Association of Whitehorse to encourage stallholders to reduce and recycle waste. Volunteers will assist visitors with recycling their waste into the appropriate bins at the event.
SBS Radio will broadcast live from the event.
If you would like to apply for a stall at the event, please see the Asian Business Association of Whitehorse website at www.abaw.com.au
For road closures and traffic detours, please refer to the 
Chinese New Year Festival 2012 Road Closure Detour Map (171.31kB).
Program of Events
2.35pm-3.35pm: Victorian Police Band
5pm-6pm: official opening ceremony with lion and dragon dancing
6.10pm-6.40pm: Australia Chinese Dancers Association
8.45pm-9.30pm: Smyool (band/music performance)
10.55pm-11.40pm: Mindever (music performance)
11.50pm-midnight: midnight countdown, lion and dragon dancing continued, firecracker display.
How To Get There
Some roads will be closed and, with 70,000 people expected, parking will be very limited. So, leave the car at home and make your way to this year’s event with minimal impact on the environment.
- Pick up a TravelSmart map that shows street and off-road cycling paths, walking paths through parks and reserves and public transport routes.
- Visit www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au for a public transport journey planner.
- Trains: Belgrave/Lilydale line to Box Hill rail station.
- Buses: 202, 270-271, 279, 284, 286, 289, 291, 293, 295, 302, 315, 612, 684, 700, 732-3, 735, 765, 767, Smart Bus 903.
- Trams: 109 Box Hill – Port Melbourne.
To collect a TravelSmart map from Council visit a Customer Service Centre at Nunawading, Box Hill or Forest Hill, email customer.service@whitehorse.vic.gov.au or phone 9262 6333.