Victoria has four areas where large numbers of Overseas Vietnamese live. Since early lunar December, the lunar New Year (Tet) Festival has been celebrated with lion dances, martial art performances and firecrackers.

The Tet Festival is also a chance for Overseas Vietnamese to enjoy traditional foods and the traditional Tet atmosphere.

On lunar December 20, the five roads running to Footscray centre in Melbourne had barriers so that trams, buses and cars had to leave room for pedestrians and workers installing recreational facilities to carter for the New Year Festival of paramount importance to the immigrant community. The Festival drew the participation of not only Overseas Vietnamese but also indigenous people and African and Indian immigrants.

The Festival began with a musical performance given by Footcray police and a lion dance. This year’s Tet Festival entitled “East-West Integration” was held in the presence of honourary guests such as the President of the Footscray Asia Europe Business Association, the Mayor of Maribyrnong City, representatives of the Australian Labour Party and Footscray and Buddhist monk Thich Phuoc Tan from the Quang Minh Pagoda.

Thieu Nhan, a worker at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia said that the bank plans to open a representative office in Ho Chi Minh City to meet with the demands of businesses and to send remittances from overseas Vietnamese in Australia.

Unicorn dances opened the festival together with firecrackers and the parade included honoured guests who were in traditional long dresses and turbans and volunteers in traditional costumes. They cheerfully gave lucky money to the children there.

The sound of the music and the drum made the festival atmosphere more joyful and animated. The visitors had the chance to eat a variety of foods and join traditional and modern games, including a lottery, choosing lucky tickets, throwing canes, motor racing and Ferris wheel.

Dances, a fashion show and martial arts performance took place in the main stadium until late at night. A corner of the city was sleepless but the local Australian people who live in a quite neighbourhood did not complain. They all hoped to have the chance to participate in warm and traditional festival next year.