A gold, shimmering snake stretching longer than two standard buses will be suspended under a Sydney CBD station as the city hosts the largest Lunar New Year celebration outside Asia.
The 27-metre snake at Circular Quay will be one of 12 colourful lanterns up to 10-metres high lining the foreshore from the Opera House to Dawes Point during Sydney's Chinese New Year Festival.
At the festival's official launch on Monday, curator Claudia Chan Shaw said the lanterns, designed by contemporary Australian Asian artists to resemble animals in the lunar zodiac, would make for a "spectacular display".
"Just take a short stroll around Circular Quay and see them, you cannot miss them, they are absolutely huge," she said.
More than a million visitors are expected to ring in the Year of the Rooster at the 17-day festival, which kicks off on Friday with fireworks over Sydney Harbour and the lighting of the Opera House sails and the Harbour Bridge red.
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Event highlights include a two-day dragon boat racing regatta, karaoke at the top of the Harbour Bridge, a night market curated by Kylie Kwong at Carriageworks and a performance by Oscar-winning composer Tan Dun with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
The Opera House and Harbour Bridge will turn red for the first three nights, along with other buildings across the city including Town Hall and the State Library of NSW.
For more information on the event visit www.sydneychinesenewyear.com.
