Festivities marking the start of the Chinese New Year will take place online instead of at the Bendigo Chinese precinct.

Bendigo Chinese Association president Doug Lougoon said events would include the normal live dance, except they would be run through Facebook, Instagram and WeChat.

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Mr Lougoon said the Lion dancers did have some COVID-19-safe plans to appear at restaurants briefly, which would be recorded and put online.

Festivities will begin on the first day of the lunar new year, February 12, running throughout the 15 day celebration period.

Association vice president Wei Tong said 2021 would be the year of the metal or iron ox.

Mr Tong said babies born in years of the ox were traditionally considered honest, earnest and hardworking.

He said Chinese New Year was traditionally a time for people to get together with their families, as the date symbolised the beginning of the cycle of life in the lunar calendar.

Read more: No parades and dragons for this year's COVID-safe Bendigo Easter

Mr Lougoon said Bendigonians could expect a series of short performances online this year, for what was normally the biggest celebration in the Chinese calendar.

He said the association was disappointed they couldn't celebrate as normal, but understood the seriousness of the situation surrounding COVID-19.

"We just look forward to hopefully having a rejuvenated year across all our events in 2022," Me Lougoon said.

Find out more online at: facebook.com/bendigochinese

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