The ‘2015 Lunar New Year festival’ provided the ANU community with a fantastic opportunity to welcome the Year of the Ram in flamboyant style! UniLodge partnered with 16 ANU clubs and societies, and the Golden Drum restaurant to provide festival goers with a wide spectrum of entertainment and food from Asia and the Pacific.

The festival began with performances from Prosperous Mountain Lion Dance, KPOP Dance, ANU Dance, ANU Classical Chinese Musical Ensemble and piano recital from Ray Yang. The performances were followed by an exotic food competition, traditional tea ceremony and the unveiling of the ‘best-dressed’ prize.

Co-Directors Jenny Bui (International Officer for Unilodge), and Kieran Hancock (Health and Recreation Officer for Unilodge) labelled the event a success and counted roughly 1000 people in attendance.

The Directors highlighted how the “tea ceremony in addition and exotic food competition made for an enjoyable evening which attendees embraced”.

Both directors applaud the efforts of the Lunar New Year team stating “without these people, their tireless efforts and expertise this entire event could never have been as spectacular as it was! It was because of them that this event will truly be a festival to remember”.

Pro-Vice Chancellor of Student Experience, Richard Baker, praised the festival, calling it “a credit to both UniLodge and the ANU.”

However, an anonymous source from the 2015 UniLodge Residents’ Committee has stated that the Residents’ Committee “are hesitant to commit to continue sponsoring the festival in 2016, believing that residents’ funds can be better allocated in 2016.”

Nonetheless, it was hard to spot anyone in attendance who did not relish the free food and entertainment. The ‘2015 Lunar New Year Festival’ enabled the ANU community to enter the Year of the Ram with a fun, wholesome event!

The author is a committee member of the Unilodge Residential Committee