YORK will be transformed this weekend, as a cultural partnership aimed at making the city "more eventful" is launched to the public.

A series of taster sessions giving people a glimpse of what will be in store throughout the year will be on show, as York is officially launched as a City of Festivals.

A new website, ww.yorkfestivals.com, will be the gateway for anyone looking to find out about the huge range of events being planned.

And representatives from the York Festival Of Food And Drink, Jorvik Viking Festival and York Ghost Festival will among dozens of organisations bringing a little fun to places like Parliament Street, the Guildhall and the ARC centre on Saturday.

The brainchild of the city's cultural partnership, York@Large, the York City of Festivals aims to help develop an exciting, rich and diverse year-round event programme.

Among the activities in store for city residents and tourists as the year progresses include:

A celebration of Chinese New Year - which starts tomorrow

A York Late Music Festival in March

A Dance Week in June

Alongside these is Royal Ascot at York in June, and tentative plans have also been announced to hold an event to mark the 400th anniversary of the gunpowder plot in November.

The website aims to be a one-stop-shop for festival organisers and for visitors and residents to find out about the wide number of events taking place in the city during the course of 2005.

Gillian Cruddas, chief executive of the York Tourism Bureau, said: "2005 is a great year to launch this exciting new initiative with a host of key events coming to the city, including the highlight, Royal Ascot at York in June.

"Visitors to York are constantly looking for new reasons to come and this initiative will also encourage visitors to come at different times of the year."

For more information about Saturday's events, phone the city centre events office on 01904 554532.

Preparations are under way for a spectacular Lion and Lantern Parade through York city centre to mark the Chinese New Year.

The first of two lantern workshops has taken place giving children and adults the opportunity to create an authentic glowing lantern to carry in the parade on February 9.

The York Chinese New Year Festival is organised by the National Centre for Early Music and begins tomorrow.

Events include a rare performance of a Chinese opera, an oriental market in Parliament Street and a programme of Chinese films at City Screen.

Lanterns will be stored for participants until the parade.

For more information, phone 01904 632220 or visit ww.ncem.co.uk/chinese

Updated: 12:49 Thursday, January 27, 2005