Lantern festival rings in Chinese New Year

BENDIGONIANS leapt into the spirit of the Chinese New Year at the weekend.

Last night hundreds attended a traditional lantern festival at  Joss House Temple, which was festooned  in lanterns created by children at the Bendigo Early Learning Centre. The Plum Blossom dancers performed traditional Chinese dancing and the Bendigo Chinese Association lion teams also put on a show.

Supervisor Darren Wright said the aim was to keep the festival “as traditional as the modern world will allow”.

“It gives the community a chance to participate in traditional Chinese New Year celebrations,” he said.

Mr Wright said the large crowd was a sign of people’s interest with other cultures and religions.

“People are fascinated by other cultures and other philosophies and that’s a nice thing,” he said. “There are a lot of people are interested in where other people came from.” On Saturday morning, Queen Street was abuzz with activity when the Central Victorian Lion Team dropped in to Bendigo Real Estate.

Two lions entered the business and showed off their acrobatic skills, dancing to the beat of a drum.

The colourful show was all part of the Chinese New Year celebrations and was a traditional CBD shop blessing designed to help wish Bendigo businesses a new year full of wealth and prosperity.

The Central Victorian Lion Team started its blessings in Hargreaves Mall at 9.30am and drew plenty of attention from shoppers as they visited various businesses.

Bendigo resident Penny Lane and her three children stopped outside Bendigo Real Estate to watch the blessing. “It’s really, really good,” she said. “The kids are loving it.”