The Moonee Valley Racing Club will host a massive Chinese New Year festival incorporating the best of traditional acts and cuisine on Friday night at The Valley.
Entry on Friday will be free for the event which is now in its fourth year after the MVRC and the Australian Chinese Jockey Club joined forces in 2016 to celebrate one of the most colourful events on the global calendar - Chinese New Year.
Backed by Racing Victoria and the Victorian State Government, the Chinese New Year race meeting will this week celebrate the Year of the Pig, and the MVRC has also announced a new partnership with Alinta Energy, who will be exclusive partner of the meeting for the next three years.
The race night will combine the celebration of the most auspicious festival in the Chinese calendar with night racing and includes a range of activations that provide a dazzling display of colour, fun and excitement.
The vibrancy of Chinese culture is celebrated with the finest of traditional cuisine to culturally significant entertainment and activations, along with eight quality races.
Among the highlights on the night are live cultural entertainment, Asian cuisine, a Chinese Calligraphy workshop, traditional Chinese Paper Cutting courses, red packet giveaways, a plane simulator and a Melbourne City Football Club kids' activation zone.
Jamie Pi will also be back to call the feature race, the Alinta Energy Chinese New Year Cup, over the PA in Mandarin and Sunrice will be giving away one tonne of rice for free!
"We are looking forward to putting on a great Chinese New Year event and we hope to see as many people as possible take up the offer of free entry," said MVRC chief executive Michael Browell.
"We can't wait to welcome new and returning guests to enjoy some fabulous food, entertainment and racing with us - and to wish the Chinese community 'gung hay fat choy'."