The whole world loves a party, and what better one - complete with prancing dragons and fireworks _ than Chinese New Year.

Here is how some of the non-Chinese world is celebrating Chinese New Year.

London Jan 31-Feb 2

London's Chinese New Year celebrations are the largest outside Asia. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people descend on the West End to wish each other "Kung Hei Fat Choi" (or Happy New Year).

Chinese New Year 2014, the Year of the Horse, falls on 31 January. This year's Chinese New Year festivities take place on Sunday 2 February in central London, taking in Trafalgar Square, Chinatown and Shaftesbury Avenue. 

The event will start with a parade along Charing Cross Road and Shaftesbury Avenue starting at around 10am. The main stage in Trafalgar Square will feature visiting artists from China. There will also be lion teams circulating around Chinatown, local artists performing on a stage at the end of Dean Street and traditional food and craft stalls.

There are plenty of activities and celebrations to get involved in. On Thursday 30 January (Chinese New Year's Eve), the EDF London Eye will be lit red and gold in celebration, with live performers and giveaways to enjoy from 5.30pm. Also, why not pay a visit to London's Chinatown which is famous for its abundance of Chinese restaurants. More information....

San Francisco, California, Saturday Feb 15

Chinese New Year is a two week Spring festival celebrated for over 5,000 years in China. The San Francisco Chinese New Year celebration originated in the 1860's during the Gold Rush day and is now the largest Asian event in North America as well as the largest general market event in Northern California. The celebration includes two major fairs, the Chinese New Year Flower Fair and Chinatown Community Street Fair. All the festivities culminate with Chinese New Year Parade.

Named one of the world's top ten parades, Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco is the largest celebration of its kind outside of Asia. Over 100 units will participate in the parade, many of the floats and specialty units will feature the theme of this year's Chinese zodiac sign. Nowhere in the world will you see a lunar new year parade with more gorgeous floats, elaborate costumes, ferocious lions, and exploding firecrackers. Some of the parade highlights include elaborately decorated floats, school marching bands, martial arts group, stilt walkers, lion dancers, Chinese acrobatics, the newly crowned Miss Chinatown USA and the Golden Dragon.

The Golden Dragon is over 201 feet long and is always featured at the end of the parade as the grand finale and will be accompanied by over 600,000 firecrackers! The Golden Dragon was made in Foshan, a small town in China. The Foshan dragonmasters formerly made all the costumes for the Cantonese opera, and the Golden Dragon bears many operatic touches, such as the rainbow colored pompoms on its 6 foot-long head. It is festooned from nose to tail with colored lights, decorated with silver rivets on both scaly sides and trimmed in white rabbit fur. The dragon, made on a skeleton of bamboo and rattan, is in 29 segments. It takes a team of 100 men and women to carry the Golden Dragon. This is also considered an honor to be chosen for the grand finale. Rain or shine, come watch the parade!

Dublin, Ireland, 

Building on the success of DCNYF (Dublin Chinese New Year Festival) in the past six years, Dublin launches its 7th Festival celebrating the year of the Horse, in the 4712th year of the Chinese calendar.

In 2014 the world greets the Wood Horse. This is considered a fortunate year that brings luck and good things. In Chinese Mythology the special white celestial cloud Horse is sacred to the Chinese Goddess Kwan Yin whose white horse flies through the heavens, bringing peace and blessings.

The Dublin Chinese New Year Festival 2014 organisers say 'May the year bring you blessings of great fortune! – Xin Nian Hao!'

Melbourne, Australia

In 2014, Melbourne play host to a number of Chinese New Year Festivals. Each venue offers its own unique festival theme, performances and food. Visitors will experience Chinese Lion Dance, Firecrackers, Traditional Folk Music, Dancers, Martial Artists and much more.

Click here to see the festival dates and time