You might have celebrated New Year’s Eve a few weeks ago, but the Year of the Dragon is upon us so it’s time to get back into the party spirit and see in the Lunar New Year.

The Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese New Year, marks the start of the year according to the lunar calendar and changes every year depending on when the new moon occurs.

The annual event, which is widely celebrated in cultures all over the world, is often paired with food, parades, dancers and lanterns.

This year, Kent residents will be honouring the occasion with two huge celebrations next month.

The first event takes place in Maidstone’s Jubilee Square, where there will be a free display of spectacular Chinese Lions swooping through the town centre.

The Lunar New Year celebration will also include traditional silk and bamboo music often heard in Shanghai tea houses performed by the SOAS Musical Ensemble and live music from the Chinese Opera.

There will also be ribbon dance puppets, the Sichuan changing face and free dragon crafts at Lockmeadow Entertainment Centre.

Claudine Russell from Maidstone Borough Council said: “The Lunar New Year celebrations are the first town centre event we have planned for this year, they are so vibrant and bring the town to life.”

“We are proud of how the Lunar New Year celebrations in Maidstone have become some of the biggest in the county,” adds Gurvinder Sandher from Cohesion Plus, the team that produces the event.

“We have another exciting programme of entertainment planned in the town centre and look forward to welcoming local residents. As ever, we are grateful to Maidstone Borough Council and community partners for their support in the build-up.”

It all takes place from 12 noon until 2.30pm on Saturday, February 3.

Later in the month, Chatham High Street and the town’s Pentagon Shopping Centre will be taken over by dragon-themed festivities for the Chatham Chinese Festival.

The free event will include activities such as martial arts workshops and dance performances.

There will also be street food stalls serving up cuisine from all over the world, including authentic Asian dishes and food from local businesses, and a market.

The traditional parade, which will feature colourful puppets and street performers, begins at 12 noon on Saturday, February 17. The whole event runs from 11am to 3pm.

The official Lunar New Year falls on Saturday, February 10 and the Year of the Dragon will end on Tuesday, January 28 2025.

The dragon is a powerful creature frequently depicted in Chinese mythology and culture, representing courage and creativity.