ASIAN populations in the West Midlands and across the world are starting 15 days of celebrations as the Year of the Dragon breathes fire into the Chinese New Year.

The festival, which runs until February 6, 2012, is the longest and most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It begins on the first day of the first month within the Chinese calendar and ends on the date of the full moon.

Communities across the UK will be celebrating including Birmingham which is holding an afternoon of free entertainment at the Arcadian Centre in the Chinese quarter on Sunday, January 29.

The Birmingham event begins with the entrance of the Dragon Dance and Firecrackers at 12.30pm. Birmingham Chinese Women’s Association will be welcoming the Chinese God of Wealth at 12.55pm and there will be children’s dancing at 1.30pm.

Acrobatics and dragon dancing follow, with a fireworks finale at 5.25pm.

London will hold its own organised celebrations next Sunday, including an official ceremony attended by Mayor Boris Johnson as well as Chinese Ambassador to London Liu Xiaoming.

The capital’s Chinatown will also play host to a parade by lion dancers as well as a range of stalls selling traditional produce throughout the day. Other celebrations are also under way across the country.

The annual celebration is recognised by other Asian populations worldwide, within countries such as Thailand and Singapore.