It was a the Chinese New Year in Melbourne which the year was the year of the horse, or as the BBC mistakenly announced it as the year of the whore.
Melbourne has a big Chinese community so they could not let it pass without putting on a big show. The Chinese New Year Festival featured traditional and contemporary Chinese cultural activities, festivities, dances, Chinese opera and singing, karaoke competition, numerous stalls of culinary delights, arts and crafts, Chinese chess competitions, lion dances, dragon parades, calligraphy and children's events.
The celebrations went over 7 days at various venues around the city and showcased over 50 performances, 25 stalls, lion dances, dragon dances and lots of fire crackers.
My favourite bit were the endless food stalls all lined up outside Crown casino which I walk past on the way home and the smell from the freshly cooked food was mouth watering. A few nights I resisted and picked up some snacks on the way home.
Chinese New Year