The Lane Cove Council has always celebrated Lunar New Year with a Lion Dance and a movie, with the action taking place in The Canopy and Lane Cove Plaza. This will happen again this year, BUT there will also be a new event: St Leonards Lunar Laneways.
It’s the year of the Horse.
The Lion Dance
Friday, 20 February 2026, 3:30 pm to 6.30 pm
Lane Cove Plaza and The Canopy
The Lion Dance is an absolute highlight, loved by kids and adults alike.
The Lion Dance is performed each year by Pak Hok Kung Fu International.
Pak Hok Kung Fu International is a Sydney martial arts and lion dance school.
Chan Hak Fu established the school in 1972. It teaches martial arts, self-defence, and the Lion Dance using traditional methods. The Lion Dance classes promote fitness and agility.
If you’ve ever seen the Lion Dance, you will know that the performers must be incredibly fit and agile to perform at such high energy.
Our video below gives you an idea of how exciting it is to watch the Lion Dance.
Pak Hok (White Crane) Kung Fu has a long tradition in China, reputedly having begun during the Ming Dynasty, circa 1426. The style started when a Tibetan Lama, Au Dav Tov, with extensive knowledge of martial arts, watched a black ape fighting a white crane.
As a result of this experience, he founded the ‘Lion’s Roar’ style of Kung Fu, which was later renamed ‘Pak Hok Chung’. This paved the way for another Lama, Du Logatan, to find Pak Hok Kung Fu at the end of the Ming Dynasty. You can find out more about Pak Hok Kung Fu here.
Our Cover Photo Source: Pak Hok Kung Fu here.
Free Movie in the Canopy
Friday, 20 February 2026, 6.30 pm
The Canopy
Continue the Lunar New Year celebrations with a free screening of Turning Red at The Canopy starting at 6 pm. This is a Disney/Pixar movie, so it’s family-friendly and rated PG.
Rosalie Chiang lends her voice to Mei Lee, a 13-year-old who suddenly “poofs” into a giant red panda when she gets too excited (which is practically ALWAYS). Sandra Oh voices Mei Lee’s protective, if not slightly overbearing mother, Ming, who is never far from her daughter—an unfortunate reality for the teenager
St Leonards Lunar Laneways
Friday, 28 February 2026, 4.00 pm to 9.00 pm
St Leonards Laneways
Celebrate the Year of the Horse at St Leonards Lunar Laneways, a brand-new twilight street party bringing colour, culture and community to the heart of St Leonards on Saturday 28 February 2026 from 4.00 pm to 9.00 pm
The action will happen around Canberra Avenue, St Leonards (next to Wadanggari Park).
This inaugural event marks the beginning of a new annual tradition, celebrating Lunar New Year and the rich cultural diversity of our community.
The 2026 program has been curated in partnership with the Korean Cultural Centre, showcasing both traditional and contemporary Korean culture through:
- Bustling night markets and food stalls
- Live performances, including gugak music and K-pop
- Interactive workshops, cultural games and art installations
- Lanterns, light displays and immersive public art
This free, family-friendly celebration will transform Canberra Avenue and Marshall Lane into a vibrant festival hub beneath Wadanggari Park, just moments from St Leonards Station.
Lunar New Year – Willoughby City Council
Willoughby City Council has activities planned from now until Saturday, 28 February 2026. More information here.
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