She said it was one of the biggest events she had put on in the history of the market.
"It really shows the value of the new extension, so that we can actually host larger events like these. But we couldn't have done this without the help of the large number of sponsors from Rotorua businesses and the Chinese community."
She said 24 people from a Chinese/Taipei cultural group came from Auckland to be part of the fashion show bringing with them the Chinese dragon used to begin proceedings.
Apart from the usual market fare and entertainment, the year of the fire monkey was celebrated with cultural performances from one of the world's oldest cultures which included a dragon dance, a performance by indigenous Taiwanese inhabitants, and Qing, Ming, Yuan, Song, Han and Zhou dynasty traditions.
Joint president of the Rotorua Chinese Community of Commerce Frank Zhou said he thanked the Rotorua Lakes Council for letting the Chinese community celebrate the new year.
"We are here to provide business and education connections, as well as guidance for people who want to connect with China and Chinese business professionals.
"The year of the fire monkey will be a prosperous year and we wish everyone in Rotorua a happy year. With more Chinese migrants coming to Rotorua I'm sure this will get bigger and bigger in the next few years," Mr Zhou said.
