Preparations for Chinese New Years are already in full swing with celebrations set to transform the country’s capital on Sunday the 21st February.

Promoters have promised the best in Chinese arts and entertainment, with international and homegrown talent uniting to welcome in the Year of the Tiger in spectacular fashion, once again celebrating London’s ethnic diversity.

Soho’s Chinatown will be decorated with special food and culture stalls as well as dazzling lion dance displays. Shaftesbury Avenue will transform into ‘Hong Kong in London Chinatown’ featuring a stage jam-packed with performances by local Chinese artists.

Meanwhile Trafalgar Square will host the official opening ceremony with two world-famous groups from China performing a medley of dance, music and acrobatics, featuring iconic Chinese dragons, lions and firecrackers. As the day comes to an end a glittering fireworks display in Leicester Square will bring the celebrations to a close.

Mr Leslie Ng president of the London Chinatown Chinese Association, who organise the celebrations each year, said “Hundreds of thousands of people enjoy London’s Chinese New Year celebrations, which have become a real highlight in the capital’s calendar of events. It’s an opportunity to celebrate and experience Chinese culture, and to see what Chinatown offers, not just during Chinese New Year, but all year round.”