The Year of the Pig officially begins on February 5, and Montreal's Chinese community has already started celebrations for the Lunar New Year.

They got together for an afternoon of performances at Complex Desjardins on Saturday.

Chinese Montrealers of all ages came out to join in the celebration. (CBC)

The Year of the Pig is traditionally an omen for prosperity.

And members of Montreal's Chinese community are looking forward to everything this new year has in store.

The event featured traditional dancers performing lion and dragon dances. (CBC)

The crowd of hundreds was joined by Mayor Valerie Plante and other government and consular officials at the bright and colourful event.

It featured a number of traditional lion and dragon dances.

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante was on hand to help open the celebrations at Complexe Desjardins on Saturday. (CBC)

Plante said she was happy to celebrate the new year with Montreal's substantial and diverse Chinese community.



"Thank you to the organizers and the people who are participating today who will be sharing a part of their culture with us that we love and we cherish," she said.