Organisers are committed to making Dai Gum Loong part of this year's Bendigo Advertiser Gala Parade on Easter Sunday, even with the threat of forecast rain.
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The parade is the main feature of the Bendigo Easter Festival and Dai Gum Loong requires 130 carriers in order for the thousands of onlookers to appreciate the dragon in all its majesty.
Dai Gum Loong made its debut in the parade in 2019, alongside Sun Loong and original dragon Loong.
Dai Gum Loong was to have made its solo debut on Easter Monday in 2022 but heavy rain saw last year's parade cancelled.
That was on the back of cancellations in 2021 and 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic which means it has been a long wait for crowds to see the 150th staging of the parade.
Unfortunately, the weather gods are again threatening to rain on the parade with the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting a chance of one to three millimetres of the wet stuff on Sunday.
Bureau meteorologist Matthew Thomas said Good Friday would possibly be the wettest day with a trough moving across Victoria bringing about five to 10 millimetres of rain.
As it moves eastwards, a south-westerly stream is likely to push showers back in to the region on the Saturday.
"There's likely to be rain on or south of the ranges which is expected to push over Bendigo on Saturday but it would only be a couple of millimetres," Mr Thomas said.
"It won't really be wet, more like nuisance showers which are expected to ease on Sunday.
"Sunday will be a cool to cold day, quite likely 14 to 15 degrees which is significantly below average temperatures (for this time of year).
"There will possibly be a few light showers passing through, less than a millimetre. So it will be cloudy which will alternate with breaks of sunshine."
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Given the forecast, Bendigo Chinese Association president Doug Lougoon is optimistic about Sunday's parade.
"If it's passing showers, that means there will be breaks," he said.
"We will do everything in our power to avoid any rain. I remember one year we went early in the parade to avoid forecast rain so if we have to delay Dai Gum Loong's part in the parade this year we will do it.
"We are committed to having people see the dragon this year."
Measuring 125 metres and featuring more than 7000 handmade scales, Dai Gum Loong will not be risked if there's a chance of rain.
"We can't get anything wet," Mr Lougoon said. "It would ruin it for future years."
Mr Lougoon said organisers were in touch with weather experts and would wait and see if the forecast changes before Sunday before making a final decision on the timing of Dai Gum Loong's appearance in the parade.
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