One Brisbane Many Cultures

One Brisbane many cultures

Edition 10 – December 2016-January 2017

1. A message from Lord Mayor Graham Quirk

In the lead up to the end ofthe year there are a number ofcelebrations throughout thecity. Christmas activities are infull swing with the tree in KingGeorge Square, City Hall LightShow, nightly parades and themarkets at South Bank.

This coming Australia Day(26 January), I’ll be announcingthe winners of my 2017 AustraliaDay Awards. These awardsrecognise Brisbane's unsungheroes and pay tribute to thespecial people in our communitywho have gone above and beyondto help improve the lives of others.

Council will honour the memoryof Manmeet Sharma, a Councilbus driver who was tragicallykilled at the end of October, with a permanent memorialfollowing consultation with thelocal community. Council has alsoestablished a fund to support hisfamily. To make a donation,go to brisbane.qld.gov.au

Graham Quirk

LORD MAYOR

2. Brisbane sparkles this Christmas

Brisbane is alive this holiday season, with Christmas celebrations in full swing. Celebrations started with the flick of the giant switch at the official Lighting of the Christmas Tree in King George Square on Friday 25 November.

Featuring dozens of talented local performers and Santa with his reindeer, the Christmas parade will run every evening from 16-24 December, beginning at 7pm at Queen Street Mall.

Follow the parade to King George Square, where the Gold Lotto City Hall Light Spectacular will make a highly anticipated return to delight audiences every 15 minutes from 9 December.

Don’t miss the new illuminated Enchanted Garden and Christmas Movies in the Park at Roma Street Parkland, Christmas Beach Cinema at Streets Beach and more free carol performances in The Courier-Mail Piazza at South Bank Parklands.

South Bank’s Christmas Markets will overflow with gifts in the week leading up to the big day and will also include four nights of Christmas fireworks on the Brisbane River set to a festive soundtrack of carols.

Ring in some Christmas joy on 10 December at the Brisbane Riverstage for the Lord Mayor’s Christmas Carols. Join in the singing from 5-9.15pm. To find out more, visit christmasinbrisbane.com.au

3. Chinese Lunar New Year

Come and celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year in the Chinatown Mall! Get involvedin the festivities with Chinese lion dancers, fire shows, traditional music, culturalperformances, Asian market stalls, roving street performers and a special ChineseNew Year Parade.

Chinese Lunar New Year sees the transition to a new period in the Chinese zodiac,with each period represented by a different animal. 2017 is the Year of the Rooster,following the Year of the Monkey in 2016.

Celebrating the most important day in the Chinese calendar and attended byhundreds of people each year, the Chinese Lunar New Year festival will offer the chanceto discover more about the many Asian cultures in Brisbane and enjoy the culturaldiversity of Fortitude Valley. You can join in the fun from 5-10pm, Saturday 28 Januaryand 12-5pm Sunday 29 January.

4. Australia Day activities

Brisbane’s unsung heroes are set to be honoured in the 2017 Lord Mayor’s AustraliaDay Awards.

The Awards Ceremony and Reception will recognise the efforts and achievementsof residents working to make Brisbane an even better place, either by improving ournatural environment, helping others less fortunate or working with children, the elderlyor people with disabilities.

These tireless achievers could bea friend or volunteer at a community group, sporting club,church or local school.Community members are eligible for an award in one often categories. Some of the awards include the LordMayor’s Australia Day Citizen of the Year, Senior Citizenof the Year and Young Citizen of the Year. The awardsnot only highlight the efforts of individuals, but alsorecognise community events that have contributedto improving the lives of others with a specialcategory for Community Event of the Year.

Brisbane prides itself on its community spiritand the efforts of those who make the city agreat place to live, work and play.

Brisbane’s diversity will also be on show for the 2017Australia Day Citizenship Ceremony. Brisbane CityHall will play host to a spectacular event, where 600new citizens from all corners of the globe will becomeAustralian citizens.

5. Seniors Celebration Donation

Council has helped seniors around the city kick off their end of year festivities by providing funds as part of our Seniors Celebration Donation program. The program assists groups of people aged 50 years and over cover the cost of activities such as social outings and Christmas parties.

For more information on Council grant programs, visit brisbane.qld.gov.au

6. BrisAsia Festival returns

Celebrate contemporary and traditional Asian arts and cultural events across the city with BrisAsia Festival 2017.

Now in its fifth year, the festival is held over three weeks from Friday 27 January until Sunday 19 February. The program features more than 80 events including the finest theatre, music, dance, film, talks and visual arts to discover and celebrate Asian communities in our city.

To find out more, phone Council on 3403 8888 or visit brisbane.qld.gov.au/brisasiafestival

7. Did you know

Chanukah runs for eight nights anddays from 24 December and is aJewish holiday rejoicing the triumphof light over darkness, of freedomover oppression, of spiritualismover materialism.

8. Events

27 December – Chanukah inthe City – celebrate Chanukahwith family-friendly activities,entertainment, live orchestra andkosher food, 4-8.30pm, ReddacliffPlace, visit brisbane.qld.gov.au

31 December – New Year's EveFireworks Spectacular – enjoyan evening of free, family-friendlyfrivolity with movie screenings,food trucks and two glitteringfireworks shows, South BankParklands, various times,visit visitsouthbank.com.au

20 January 2017 – Lunar NewYear Festival: Têt – join thebiggest and most sacred festivalon the lunar calendar for theVietnamese community, with foodand entertainment, 6pm, Inala

Civic Centre, visit vcaqld.org.au

28-29 January 2017 – ChineseLunar New Year – kick off theYear of the Rooster with Chineselion dancers, Chinese dance andmusic performances, roving streetperformances, markets and fireshows, various times, ChinatownMall, visit brisbane.qld.gov.au

Until 19 February 2017 – InkRemix – multilingual experienceexploring contemporary ink art

from mainland China, Taiwanand Hong Kong, 10am-5pmdaily, Museum of Brisbane, visit

museumofbrisbane.com.au

Brisbane City Council

GPO Box 1434, Brisbane Qld 4001

CA16-124489-08-2179

© Brisbane City Council 2016

Every effort is made to ensure that information is correct at time of printing

Brisbane
Australia’s new world city

For more information visit call (07) 3403 8888.

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