FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

YUM CHA - MONTHLY SESSIONS
2012 DATES: 19 February, 18 March, 20 May, 17 June,
15 July, 19 August, 21 October, 18 November

Yum Cha is held on the third Sunday of every month, except in April (due to Easter) and in September (due to the annual Harvest Moon Festival)

VENUE: Golden Dragon Museum tea rooms

SITTING TIME: 12:00pm BYO Alcohol Only ($2.00 corkage applies)
Bookings Essential-  Please advise of any dietary requirements on booking. Bookings of 8 or more must confirm numbers one week prior to Yum Cha

EASTER FESTIVAL 2012
Chinese Spring Festival
The Chinese Spring Festival presents unique cultural experiences provided by authentic Asian performers to Bendigo as well as highlighting amazing local cultural performers.

Date: Saturday 7th April 2012
Time: 10am - 12pm
Venue: Dai Gum San precinct
1-11 Bridge St Bendigo
Cost: Free

The Awakening of the Dragon
The Awakening of the Dragon ceremony in 2012 will be showcasing talent from around Australia. Daring stunts performed by Hung Gar Yar Shu (Melbourne), Chinese Youth Society (Melbourne),Cairns and District Chinese Association (Cairns), Prosperous Mountain Lion Dance (Canberra) and the Bendigo Chinese Association (Bendigo). Performances include Chinese dancing, dragon dancing, lion dancing, Chinese drummers and martial arts demonstrations. This event is a highlight of the entire Bendigo Easter Festival.

Date: Saturday 7th April 2012
Time: 2pm - 4pm
Venue: Dai Gum San precinct
1-11 Bridge St Bendigo
Cost: Free

The Chinese Spring Festival and Awakening of the Dragon are proudly sponsored by
 
The Bendigo Easter Festival Torchlight Parade

The Annual Torchlight procession exhibits various community groups and schools from around central Victoria. At the rear of the parade see the Bendigo Chinese Association bring out lion dancers, Chinese drummers and gongs, Ming Loong, Ping Loong, Xiao Le Loong, Gansu Loong and the luminous Choi Loong.

Date: Saturday 7th April 2012
Time: TBC by the Bendigo Easter Festival
Parade Route: TBC by the Bendigo Easter Festival
Cost: Free
 
The Bendigo Easter Festival Gala Parade
The Easter Gala Procession is the main parade of the festival comprising of community groups and schools together with the Chinese Association section at the rear of the procession. On this day costumes and exhibits housed in the Golden Dragon Museum come out on display to the public alongside the famous Sun Loong. Sun Loong is the longest Imperial dragon in the world and only parades in the public once a year.

Date: Sunday 8th April 2012
Time: 1pm
Parade Route: TBC by the Bendigo Easter Festival
Cost: Free
 
Chung Loong
Chung Loong in Cantonese translates to 'the return of the dragon' which is a spectacle in itself. Watch Sun Loong back into the museum for another year's hibernation whilst standing on the newly developed Dai Gum San precinct. Following Chung Loong will be performances by various Chinese performing artists.

Date: Sunday 8th April 2012
Time: Approx 2.30pm
Venue: Dai Gum San precinct
Cost: Free

ANNUAL HARVEST MOON FESTIVAL 2012
Harvest Moon Festival
The Golden Dragon Museum has been celebrating the Harvest Moon Festival annually in Bendigo for over ten years. Over this time, the museum has held small scale events for specific sections of the community, such as special needs and older Australians. The museum, in 2006 scaled up the celebration by providing four hours of children’s activities in the Classical Chinese Gardens.
 

For the past three years the festival has been developed to involve professional artists collaborating with schools, community and special needs groups in the region to create a large scale community celebration. Each year, festival organisers present stories by drawing on cultural practices and art forms in innovative ways to promote greater participation and understanding of Bendigo’s cultural diversity.

Date: Saturday 22nd September 2012
Time: 6pm
Venue: Dai Gum San precinct

Cost: Free 

Every year the Golden Dragon Museum releases a Harvest moon Festival DVD. These can be purchased from the museum or by calling +61 3 54 41 50 44.