Birmingham’s Chinese community is preparing to welcome in the Year of the Rooster today with an afternoon of celebrations aimed at the whole family. Organised by the Birmingham Chinese Festival Committee in conjunction with Southside Business Improvement District (BID) and supported by Birmingham City Council, the event will include Chinese music, food and stalls plus colourful dance and martial arts performances.

This year’s celebrations will run from 11am to 4pm at the Arcadian Centre, beginning with traditional dragon and lion dances from Choy Lee Fut Martial Arts and a demonstration from the Praying Mantis Kung Fu Club.

At 12pm the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Carl Rice, will take to the main stage to welcome visitors to the festival and officially kick off this years’ celebration. This will be followed by speeches and a stage programme until 4pm, when the event is rounded off with the traditional Lion Dance and firecrackers.

Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Cllr Carl Rice, said: “It gives me great pleasure to join Birmingham’s Chinese community in celebrating Chinese New Year and welcoming in the Year of the Rooster.

“Occasions like this are part of what makes our city so colourful and vibrant, so I hope as many people as possible will join us for what promises to be a fantastic afternoon of free family entertainment.”

James Wong, chairman of the Birmingham Chinese Festival Committee, said: “This is my second year running the festival and I always had ambitions to make it bigger. The plans have really come together and I’m proud that we’re able to welcome the Year of the Rooster on such a grand scale.

“The changes to our event, which have been well supported by Birmingham City Council and Southside BID, mean that we can expect visitor numbers to double. It’ll be a fun day out for all the family.”

There will be road closures on Ladywell Walk and Hurst Street between Wrottesley Street, Smallbrook Queensway and Thorp Street from 6am until 7pm. There will also be temporary two-way traffic on Ladywell Walk between Pershore Street and Wrottesley Street.