Lunar New Year falls on Saturday 6 February 2027 and welcomes the Year of the Goat, and Sydney celebrates for most of February with lanterns in Chinatown, dragon boats on Cockle Bay and street festivals in Cabramatta, Hurstville, Burwood and Ashfield. This guide covers the dates announced so far and how to reach it all by train from Marco Polo Motor Inn Sydney in Summer Hill, where every booking includes free secured parking and rooms start from $140.
Lunar New Year 2027: dates and the Year of the Goat
New Year's Day in the lunar calendar is Saturday 6 February 2027, and the fifteen days of celebration end with the Lantern Festival on Saturday 20 February 2027. In the Chinese zodiac 2027 is the Year of the Goat, also called the Sheep.
The City of Sydney's Sydney Lunar Festival is the biggest single programme; its 2027 dates are announced by the City of Sydney ahead of the festival, and the 2026 edition ran from 14 February to 1 March 2026.
Sydney Lunar Festival: Chinatown and the dragon boats
In 2026 the festival strung 756 lanterns above Hay Street in Chinatown beneath twelve zodiac animal lanterns by artist Erika Zhu and a zodiac sculpture on Dixon Street. The Sydney Lunar Streets opening party filled the Haymarket laneways from 5 pm to 10 pm with lion dancing and food, lion dances returned to the Sydney Town Hall steps at lunchtime, and the Lunar Extravaganza filled Town Hall with multicultural performance.
The Dragon Boats Festival, presented by Dragon Boats NSW, closed the 2026 programme on Cockle Bay at Darling Harbour on 28 February and 1 March. All of these are free, and the 2027 dates are published by the City of Sydney and Darling Harbour.
- Lunar lanterns over Hay Street and the zodiac animals in Chinatown
- Sydney Lunar Streets opening party in Haymarket, 5 pm to 10 pm
- Lion dances on the Sydney Town Hall steps at lunchtime
- Dragon Boats Festival on Cockle Bay, Darling Harbour, closing weekend
Ashfield, Burwood, Hurstville and Cabramatta
Ashfield, the next suburb along from Summer Hill, has a famous dumpling strip along Liverpool Road, and Inner West Council stages its 2027 Ashfield celebration on Sunday 7 February on Hercules Street, with food stalls, a pop-up stage and a free Ashfield Town Hall programme from 12 pm to 5 pm; Marrickville follows on Sunday 14 February.
Burwood Council's Lunar Lanes street festival ran on Saturday 21 February 2026 from 5 pm to 10 pm; the 2027 date is announced by Burwood Council. Georges River Council's Hurstville festival is set for Saturday 13 February 2027 along Forest Road and Hurstville Plaza, and Fairfield City Council's Cabramatta Lunar New Year is on Saturday 20 February 2027 from 11 am to 9 pm in Cabramatta Town Centre.
Getting there by train and light rail from Summer Hill
Summer Hill station is a 400 m walk from the motel, about four to five minutes, on the T2 Inner West & Leppington line. For Chinatown, take the train to Central, about 15 minutes, and walk a few minutes to Hay Street; Town Hall, about 15 to 20 minutes, is the stop for the lion dances. For the dragon boats, the L1 light rail from Taverners Hill, a short walk from the motel, runs direct to Darling Harbour.
Ashfield is one stop west of Summer Hill or a short drive, and Burwood is a few stops further along the same line. Hurstville and Cabramatta are on the train network, with a change at Central for Hurstville; check the Transport for NSW trip planner for the simplest connection.
Tips for enjoying Lunar New Year in Sydney
Book restaurant tables for New Year's Eve on Friday 5 February and New Year's Day on Saturday 6 February well ahead, as reunion dinners fill the yum cha houses and the Liverpool Road dumpling strip. The lanterns look their best after dark, so plan Chinatown for the evening and the dragon boats for a morning, and carry a refillable bottle filled from the motel's free Purezza premium water refills.
Where to stay for Lunar New Year 2027
Marco Polo Motor Inn Sydney is an independent 3.5-star motel at 42-44 Parramatta Road, Summer Hill, about 6.5 km west of the Sydney CBD and a four-minute walk from Summer Hill station. Rooms are from $140 a night Monday to Thursday and from $200 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, public holidays and high seasons, so New Year's Day on Saturday 6 February 2027 is from $200 and the midweek nights around it from $140. Single, queen, deluxe and family rooms sleep up to five, each air-conditioned with a private ensuite, fridge, microwave, kettle and toaster.
Every booking includes one free secured undercover parking spot with gated, CCTV-monitored 24-hour access, free unlimited Wi-Fi and free Purezza premium water refills. Reception is open 24 hours, check-in is from 2 pm and check-out by 10 am, and arrivals after 11 pm are welcome with a small late check-in fee. There is no restaurant on site; Summer Hill's cafes and bakeries are a short walk away. Book direct on the website or on 02 8880 8320 for the best rate with no booking fees.
Why guests choose us
Lanterns, dumplings and dragon boats by train
- Lunar New Year's Day Saturday 6 February 2027, Year of the Goat
- Chinatown lanterns about 15 minutes away by train to Central
- Ashfield's Liverpool Road dumpling strip one stop from the motel
- L1 light rail to the Cockle Bay dragon boats
- Hurstville 13 February and Cabramatta 20 February 2027 festivals
- Rooms from $140 midweek with free secured parking
Gallery
A look around & nearby
Photos: Sydney in February 2026 - 45 - Dixon st Haymarket by Xyxyzyz, CC0; Xiao Long Bao (Chifa) - Steamed glass soup dumpling, crab, pork $12 by Lou Stejskal, CC BY 2.0; Liverpool Rd Ashfield NSW 2131 Australia by Mw12310 at English Wikipedia, Public domain; Urbos 2 at Dulwich Grove Stop Inner West Light Rail Extension by Hpeterswald, CC BY-SA 3.0
Coming up in Sydney this February
- Inglis Millenium Day6 Feb 2027 · Royal Randwick Racecourse
- 2026/27 A-League Sydney FC v Melbourne City FC7 Feb 2027 · Allianz Stadium
- Apollo Stakes Day13 Feb 2027 · Royal Randwick Racecourse
- BTS World Tour 'Arirang' in Sydney20 – 21 Feb 2027 · Accor Stadium
- Calvin Harris - Australia Tour 202720 – 24 Feb 2027 · The Domain
- Silver Slipper Stakes Day20 Feb 2027 · Rosehill Gardens Racecourse
- The Strokes - Reality Awaits20 Feb 2027 · Centennial Park
- 2026/27 A-League Sydney FC v Auckland FC27 Feb – 23 Apr 2027 · Allianz Stadium
Frequently asked questions
When is Lunar New Year 2027 in Sydney?
Lunar New Year's Day is Saturday 6 February 2027, the start of the Year of the Goat, and the Lantern Festival closes the season on Saturday 20 February 2027.
Where are the Lunar New Year lanterns in Sydney?
The City of Sydney's lanterns hang over Hay Street in Chinatown, with zodiac animal lanterns, a walk-through installation and a sculpture on Dixon Street. They look best after dark.
When are the Lunar New Year dragon boat races at Darling Harbour?
The Dragon Boats Festival, presented by Dragon Boats NSW, closes the Sydney Lunar Festival on Cockle Bay. In 2026 it ran on 28 February and 1 March; the 2027 weekend is announced by the City of Sydney and Darling Harbour.
Which Sydney suburbs have Lunar New Year festivals in 2027?
Ashfield on Sunday 7 February (Hercules Street), Hurstville on Saturday 13 February (Forest Road and Hurstville Plaza), Marrickville on Sunday 14 February and Cabramatta on Saturday 20 February 2027. Burwood's Lunar Lanes date for 2027 is announced by Burwood Council.
Where should I stay for Lunar New Year in Sydney?
Summer Hill is one train stop from Ashfield's Liverpool Road restaurants and about 15 minutes from Chinatown via Central. Marco Polo Motor Inn Sydney has rooms from $140 Monday to Thursday and from $200 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, with free secured parking and 24-hour reception.
Book online here
Stay for Lunar New Year 2027
Rooms from $140 with free secured parking, one stop from Ashfield's dumpling strip and about 15 minutes by train from Chinatown.