The 2011 Sydney Chinese New Year Parade

On the evening of the 6th of February, the Sydney City Council presented the Chinese New Year Parade, taking off after the blistering heat wave Sydney has been facing and despite the threat of rain that evening.

The Parade began at 5pm with parade route set up on the streets of Sydney, attracting people from everywhere to come and watch. This evening's parade featured beautiful song and dance, and as people began to look for the where the source of the music for the parade,

the ACPAA's LED lit float, with two large screens playing footage from “The Cultures of China – Festival of Spring” performance, leading the floats for the parade. Sydney City Council presents us with the 2011 Chinese New Year Parade, and the “Cultures of China – Festival of Spring” LED float received the award for the parade's best float, unveiling for the Sydney public the Chinese New Year Parade. The Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council of the P.R.China has given their support for the ACPAA's float entry, this being the first high tech screens and lights used on the parade in the parade's history. The float's video features footage from “The Cultures of China – Festival of Spring”, taking footage from their performances over the past 5 or more years. At the same time, Chairman Mr. Lee Haifeng and Deputy Chairman Mr. Zhao Yang of The Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the P.R.China gave a speech together with Deputy Chairman Mr. Xu Yousheng about the float, saying “This float is to help build a bridge of friendship, conveying the nostalgia we feel towards home through “The Cultures of China – Festival of Spring”. “The Cultures of China  Festival of Spring” is an opportunity for Chinese living abroad from their home land to communicate with their home during Chinese New Year. The Chinese New Year Parade float has brought an unprecedented level of success to “The Cultures of China – Festival of Spring”.

Each year for the Chinese New Year Parade the ACPAA may enter up to 3 times representing the different company's they are connected to and are affiliated with. Over 60 Chinese Australian Students bear red drums representing the ACPAA follow the LED float in the parade, all bearing symbols of “The Cultures of China – Festival of Spring” following the float with their own both powerful and strong momentum. At the same time, employee's from the Chinese Overseas Affairs Office join holding banners with “Seeking home” in Chinese. Behind the office staff are a collection of Chinese students from both summer and winter camps, with their banners in Chinese presenting “Superb Chinese Fashion”, the children all wearing both traditional and modern Chinese style clothes, showing both comfort and satisfaction with a sense of fashion they have all grown up with. The various groups in the parade were all sent to show the charm of Chinese culture, and to reflect the passing on of these traditions and ideals down to the next generation. Over twenty thousand spectators were predicted to have arrived to see the parade and enjoy the celebrations. In addition to the students beating red drums, other students carried banners also with “The Cultures of China – Festival of Spring” with them, waxing their banners in sync with the beat of the drums around them, amplifying the “Cultures of China – Festival of Spring” in a harmonious way. Of those attending the parade were: The Lord Mayor of Sydney Ms. Clover Moore, Mr. Yiming Chan from the Chinese Embassy in Sydney, Deputy Chairman Mr. Yousheng Xu from the Office of the State Council of the P.R.China, The Consulate General of China in Sydney Mr. Shan Hu and Deputy Consultes Mr. Xiaolan Hu and M.r Ningfeng Ji, Chairman Dong Chuanjie from the Chinese Overseas Affairs Office of the P.R.China, Deputy Minister from Hubei Province China Mr. Zhang Tong.

As the parade came to a close, fireworks lit the sky in Darling harbour for all those attending to enjoy and celebrate together.   Photography: Cong Yuanquan

Translator: Luke Jones