SYDNEY, Jan.27 -- Lions will be roaming Sydney streets this month as part of the City of Sydney’s Chinese New Year Festival.

Acrobatic performers in ornately decorated lion costumes will make their way among crowds at many of the City’s festivities to express joy and summon luck and good fortune from 13 February to 1 March.

Lion dancing is a 1,000 year old Chinese ritual which the City has proudly upheld throughout its 19-year history of Chinese New Year celebrations.

Using artistic and acrobatic movements, the dance aims to demonstrate a lion’s natural movements, expressions and emotions, incorporating drums and cymbals, coupled with creativity in choreographed stunts to create a rich and captivating show.

“People love the agility of the performers and the spectacle of the flamboyant, decorated lion costumes moving in time to the beat of the drum,” Sydney Mayor Clover Moore said.

“With so many performances throughout the seventeen day festival, a traditional lion dance is a must see on everyone’s Chinese New Year calendar.”