Chinese people all around the world will usher in the Year of the Dragon later this month. In Australia, Sydney's Lord Mayor Clover Moore launched the 2012 festival with charity partner Taronga Zoo on Tuesday morning. And for the Year of the Dragon, the zoo's very own giant Komodo Dragon was the star of the show. Sydney has announced plans to hold the biggest Chinese New Year celebrations outside of Asia this year. Lord Mayor Clover Moore says the Year of the Dragon is also a great opportunity to raise awareness for the plight of the endangered Komodo Dragon. City Council said Sydney will say farewell to the Year of the Rabbit and welcome the Chinese Year of the Dragon with a three-week festival that kicks off on January 20th. The highlight of the festival is the famous Twilight Parade on January 29th, a dazzling parade of color and light featuring almost 3000 performers. To mark the Year of the Dragon, parades will feature Komodo Dragons as well as giant pandas. Ms Moore said a delegation of 160 performers, chefs and business leaders from the Chinese city of Chengdu would make this year's Chinese New Year Festival Sydney is biggest and brightest yet.