Community Language

2026 Lunar New Year Celebration

Lunar New Year is one of the most vibrant and meaningful celebrations across many Asian cultures, including China, Korea, Vietnam and other parts of East and Southeast Asia. It is a joyful time of family reunion, gratitude and fresh beginnings. This year, Lunar New Year falls on Tuesday, 17 February, and our school community has embraced the occasion with great enthusiasm.

Over the past few weeks, students from Kindergarten to Year 6 have immersed themselves in learning about the traditions and significance of Lunar New Year. Through engaging lessons and hands-on activities, students explored the cultural values, customs and celebrations associated with this important festival.

Across all year levels, students discovered the rich traditions of Chinese New Year. They learned about the importance of family gatherings, honouring elders, exchanging red envelopes, sharing traditional foods and welcoming good fortune for the year ahead. They explored the symbolism of red lanterns and spring couplets, and learned how fireworks, lion dances and dragon dances bring energy, prosperity and excitement to the festivities.

Students enthusiastically participated in hands-on activities, including creating traditional-inspired crafts, playing cultural games and engaging in thoughtful classroom discussions. These experiences brought the festival to life and allowed students to connect personally with its rich cultural heritage.

For students in Years 5 and 6, the learning journey extended even further through cross-cultural exploration. They examined Korean New Year (Seollal), also celebrated according to the lunar calendar. Students identified meaningful similarities, such as the strong focus on family, respect for elders, traditional attire and special festive foods. They also explored unique customs, including ancestral rites, formal bowing ceremonies and traditional games. These comparisons encouraged students to think deeply, appreciate diversity and recognise shared values across cultures.

Through these experiences, students gained a deeper appreciation of how celebrations around the world reflect universal themes of family, respect, renewal and hope. We are incredibly proud of the curiosity, openness and joyful engagement shown by our students throughout this learning journey.

This year marks the Year of the Fire Horse — a symbol of energy, courage and determination. A variety of exciting community events will take place across the City of Sydney as part of the Sydney Lunar Festival. 

Families who are interested can explore the full program here:

https://whatson.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/programs/sydney-lunar-festival

May 2026 bring renewed energy, confidence and success to our entire school community. We wish all families a joyful, healthy and prosperous Lunar New Year!

CWPS Community Languages Team