Lantern carnivals in South America and Spring Festival Gala promos in New Zealand are bringing Chinese New Year traditions to audiences in the Southern Hemisphere, lighting up the festive season.
The Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year, falls on Feb 17 this year. It is the most important holiday in China. This year ushers in the Year of the Horse, the seventh animal in the 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle.
The "Brilliant Lantern Carnival" officially opened in Santiago, the capital of Chile on Friday. As a traditional cultural project originating from China, the lantern festival has been held in Chile for five consecutive years, gradually developing into a Chinese cultural brand that is highly anticipated and loved by the public.
This year's lantern carnival features a combination of large-scale lantern displays, traditional designs, and modern lighting technology, showcasing the unique charm of Chinese lantern art. For the first time, the event set up a "Chinese New Year Culture Experience Zone," where a promotional video for the China Media Group (CMG) 2026 Spring Festival Gala played on a loop, becoming a major attraction.
"The promotional video shows Chinese New Year celebrations with delicious food, traditional costumes, and lantern festivals, presenting a truly beautiful cultural experience. It allows Chilean people to experience Chinese culture firsthand," said Juan Mena, a councilor of Santiago City.
Locals said the lantern festival and the Spring Festival Gala promo opened a window for them to learn about the Spring Festival, Chinese New Year customs, and contemporary Chinese culture.
"I was very interested in the Spring Festival Gala after watching the promotional video, the performances showcasing traditional Chinese arts were captivating. I look forward to watching the entire show this year and am full of anticipation for the Chinese New Year," said Camila Barrientos, a resident in Santiago.
"It is wonderful to bring the seemingly distant Eastern culture to our side, so that we can appreciate it," said Magdalena Avila, another resident.
Meanwhile, the promotional video for the CMG Spring Festival Gala, together with cultural and creative products themed around the Year of the Horse, debuted at Auckland International Airport, New Zealand's largest aviation hub. The showcase engaged travelers from across the globe.
The festive atmosphere extended beyond the terminal. On flights bound for Guangzhou, South China, Gala clips played on loop across large screens in waiting areas and cabins. By blending traditional New Year symbols with modern visuals, the videos conveyed the holiday's essence of reunion, peace, and renewal. Complementing the videos, Spring Festival cultural products, including bowls and plates, playful horse pendants, and horse-themed blind boxes, made a striking appearance throughout the airport's departure hall, lounges, and cabins. The items combined Chinese intangible heritage crafts themed on the Year of the Horse.
"I think it's beautiful, I see all the creations and everything over there and it's very artistic and I'm a very artsy person, so I do appreciate everything, which is going over there and look at that, it's so cute," said a traveler at the airport.
"The Spring Festival, of course, is an amazing celebration of Chinese culture and heritage. It's great that CMG is playing this fantastic clip here today as part of the celebrations at the departure gate here in Auckland on behalf of Auckland Airport, Auckland as well as New Zealand, I wish my very sincere, best wishes and blessings for the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Horse 2026," said Scott Tasker, chief customer officer at Auckland International Airport.
Lantern carnivals, gala promos bring Spring Festival spirit to Southern Hemisphere
