Save the date for Chinese New Year

Sunday 21st February, 12.00pm to 6.00 pm

Come to Chinatown on Sunday, February 21st, to say 'Kung Hei Fat Choy' to the Year of the Tiger with an afternoon of spectacular celebrations including fireworks, lion dancing, acrobatics and plenty of food. It's bright, it's beautiful, it's the largest Chinese New Year celebration outside China and it's completely free to attend.

The Chinese New Year 2010 celebrations, organised by the London Chinatown Chinese Association, start at midday and last until 6pm. Head to Trafalgar Square for the opening ceremony and a world-class performance of Chinese arts: expect dance, music, stunning acrobatics, lion dancing and Chinese dragons.

After the performance, head to Chinatown, where you'll find culture, food and more lion dancing under the bright red lanterns of Gerrard Street. Shaftesbury Avenue is turning into 'Hong Kong in London' for the afternoon, with its own stage featuring performances by local Chinese artists. After dark, Leicester Square will host a fireworks display to welcome the New Year with even more colour, noise and celebration.

• Timetable of Events

• Trafalgar Square (Main Stage)

• 11.00: Screen Show
• 11.15: Thanksgiving Ceremony
• 11.30: Firecrackers
• 12.00: Speeches
• 12.30: Dotting the Dragon's Eyes
• 12.45: Dragon Dance
• 12.55: Mui Fa Jong - Chen Brothers
• 13.10: Performances by Sichuan Arts Troupe and Central Ethnic Song and Dance Ensemble
• 18.00: Ends

• Chinatown

• 12.00 - 18.00: Lion Dance

• Shaftesbury Avenue

• 12.00 - 16.00: Hong Kong in London Chinatown - performances by local artists.
• Leicester Square
• 17.55: Fireworks

It's a real highlight of the London calendar and it's completely free to attend. Last year's New Year festival drew a crowd of hundreds of thousands - and this year, we hope you'll be a part of it.