The Sydney Opera House will have three giant monkeys on its back for the next two weeks as the city welcomes the Chinese New Year for 2016: The Year of the Monkey.
City landmarks including the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Town Hall and the Capitol Theatre will be illuminated red to represent good luck at the festival launch on Saturday night until Chinese New Year's Day on February 8.
Giant lanterns will also be scattered around the city to depict all 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac, including a 8m x 15m inflatable lantern of three wise monkeys at Bennelong Point by Chinese-Australian artist Laurens Tan.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore says the festival, now in its 20th year, has grown significantly since it first began due to Australia's ever-increasing relationship with China and Sydney's large Chinese population.
"We're such a multicultural city and here we are celebrating a very important part of our community, learning about it and participating in it," she told AAP on Thursday.
She said a majestic ox, made with 700 mahjong tiles, will take centre stage in Martin Place.
"We asked them (the artists) to think big, and they did," she said.
Sydney is expecting more than 600,000 visitors during the festival with more than 16,000 already booked on a Mandarin-speaking tour of the Opera House.
Festival curator Claudia Chan Shaw says visitors can follow trails across the city to find the lantern of their zodiac sign or indulge in lunar feasts offered at 40 restaurants.
"It's a time for family and friends - a time to reflect on tradition and a rich heritage that has been part of Sydney's cultural fabric since the early 1900s," she said.
White, gold and blue are considered lucky colours for the Year of the Monkey, which is this year associated with the element of fire.
The festival will end with the inaugural dragon boat races in Darling Harbour on February 20 and 21.
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