Cabramatta Moon Festival a roaring success
Explore Councils by state
Colourful lion dancers, showstopping stage performances and a smorgasbord of delicious food – the Cabramatta Moon Festival celebrated its 20th year in style with its most successful event yet.
More than 90,000 visitors flocked to Cabramatta and its iconic Freedom Plaza on Sunday for a day of family fun, cultural celebrations and a gastronomical journey across south east Asia.
Festivities were officially opened by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Fairfield City Mayor Frank Carbone.
“From humble beginnings, the Cabramatta Moon Festival has grown to become Sydney’s premier celebration of south east Asian culture,” Mayor Carbone said.
“The Cabramatta Moon Festival is a wonderful showcase of the rich and vibrant cultures that call Fairfield City home.
“More than that, the Festival creates jobs, boosts the local economy and demonstrates to everyone why Fairfield City is a wonderful place to grow up, live and raise a family.”
Ms Berejiklian said: “Today we celebrate an important festival celebrated by millions of people across Asia. But more than that, we celebrate the fact that this festival represents the future of NSW and Australia.
“To see so many people out to celebrate together in such a harmonious way says why NSW is so unique and special and why our future is so bright.”
Vietnamese pop sensation Minh Tuyet and popular children’s entertainers PJ Masks lived up to their top billing, drawing huge crowds to their performances.
For the first time ever, the Cabramatta Moon Festival turned up the excitement of the lion dance to a whole new level with lion dancers performing on poles.
Visitors also flocked to the 20 carnival rides – the most ever hosted at the Moon Festival – as well as the traditional lion dance and children’s lantern parades, and the prawn peeling, noodle and moon cake eating and the children’s chopstick challenges.
Festivities closed at 8pm with a massive fireworks display.
“I couldn’t be happier with how well this year’s Moon Festival went,” Mayor Carbone said.
Fairfield City Council thanks the generous Festival sponsors and partners whose support helped make the day possible: Mekong Mounties Group, Blue Star Air Conditioning, Peter Warren Automotive, Ettason, Seven News, 2AC Chinese Radio, Amyson (Royal Umbrella), Australian Chinese Buddhist Society, BKK Shopping Centre, Bupa Australia, Burb Australia, Cabramatta Bowls, Cabra-Vale Diggers, Cabramatta Flower Spot, Central Equity, Commonwealth Bank Cabramatta, Cubecorp Projects, Dan Viet Newspaper, Decathlon, Fairfield Champion, Fairfield Easter Fair, G’day Driving School, Jerkyhouse, Nestle, Optus Prepaid, Ramada Hotels & Suites, SBS Radio, TV Media Australia, Universal Pharmaceuticals (Wealthy Health) and Vision China Times.
Fairfield City Council also thanks Fairfield City Police Area Command, Cabramatta Community, NSW Fire and Rescue, St Johns Ambulance, and NSW Ambulance for their support and involvement.
The food competition winners were:
Session 1 – 1.15pm
Moon cake eating: Brendan Tran – Cabramatta Noodle soup eating: Hai Dang (David) Nguyen – Bonnyrigg Prawn peeling: Minh Tuan (Tommy) Nguyen – Fairfield East Children's chopstick: Aidan Vu - Earlwood
Session 2– 4.50pm
Moon cake eating: Cindy Vo – Cabramatta Noodle soup eating: Joan Hutchinson – Cabramatta Prawn peeling: Yuki Wu – Burwood Children's chopstick: Branden Tran – Cabramatta