From left: Katherine Tran, Andrew Trinh and Anna Tran sold novelty neon sticks and accessories at last weekend’s Lunar New Year Festival.By Shaun Inguanzo
INTENSE heat followed by strong winds caused Sunday’s Springvale Lunar New Year Festival to fall below organisers’ expectations, much to the disappointment of the business community.
Of the estimated 70,000 people who normally attend the celebration marking the beginning of a new lunar calendar, only 35,000 people passed through the plethora of stalls, rides and amusements, according to Springvale Asian Business Association president Tom Huynh.
Mr Huynh said temperatures above 40 degrees kept patrons away from the outdoor festival during the day, while unexpected strong winds forced organisers to cancel entertainment in the evening.
He said the festival attracted an influx of people at night, with thousands who stayed indoors during daytime emerging to the cooler evening festival.
Mr Huynh said stallholders stayed open until 10pm, an hour longer than previous years, to cater for the evening demand.
But two acts were cancelled once winds hit the marquee, and Mr Huynh said he was disappointed with this year’s unfortunate weather.
“I wasn’t very happy because we put in a lot of effort,” he said.
“We had equipment including a video screen, and lots of lighting, but didn’t have a good ending.”
Following a hiphop artist, the two cancelled acts included another live band and a DJ who was to play dance music.
The Lunar New Year follows the lunar calendar, and is celebrated by many Asian cultures including Chinese, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laos, Korean and some Malaysian and Thai people.
This festival falls a week before the Lunar New Year, and Mr Huynh said the event was traditionally known by cultures as the “flower market” because celebrants would purchase plants and flowers to welcome in the pending new year.
But with the Lunar calendar rarely used in daytoday situations, Mr Huynh said the festival was now a celebration of tradition and heritage.
