Lunar New Year festivals and prayers are marking the start of the Year of the Snake around Asia and farther afield.

Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lunar New Year — and 15 days of celebration and tradition. It's the year of the snake, and according to Chinese Association of Newfoundland and Labrador president Francis Tam,

This year, Lunar New Year begins today, Wednesday, Jan. 29, and ends Feb. 12. Lunar New Year, also widely regarded as Chinese New Year since the late 19th century when it gained global recognition through Chinese immigrant communities, is a centuries-old tradition rooted in the lunar calendar.

Lunar New Year festivals and prayers marked the start of the Year of the Snake around Asia and farther afield on Wednesday.

Many Chinese who work in bigger cities return home during the eight-day national holiday in what is described as the world's biggest annual movement of humanity.

Firecrackers popped, incense was offered at temples and dancers and drummers paraded Wednesday in Asia and farther afield as millions around the world celebrated