The year of the fire rooster has begun with a bang. A crowd of 8000 to 10,000 was on hand to celebrate the Chinese New Year at Dunedin’s Chinese Garden with multicultural performances and a fireworks display on Saturday night. The entertainment included a dragon parade from the Octagon and performances by members of the Christchurch Zhong Hua Qing cultural group, Korean drummers, kapa haka and the Dunedin City Council’s own waiata group. A highlight was a spectacular fireworks display that marked the start of the Year of the Rooster — and a fire rooster, no less. Members of the Christchurch Zhong Hua Chinese Society and Christchurch Zhong Hua Qing cultural group perform during celebrations to mark Chinese New Year, and the start of the Year of the Rooster, on a stage at the Dunedin Chinese Garden on Saturday.

Source: Otago Daily Times January 29, 2017 17:07 UTC