China Media Group (CMG) on Monday unveiled the program lineup for the 2026 Spring Festival Gala, the country's most-watched annual television event, just hours before its prime time broadcast at 20:00.
This year's Gala, themed "Galloping Steed, Onward Unstoppable", will showcase a diverse lineup of performances from singing and dance to opera, martial arts, skits and magic.
From innovative expressions of traditional culture to the cross-cultural fusion of Chinese and international arts, the entire gala is filled with fresh creativity and a festive, auspicious atmosphere, conveying the heartfelt warmth of shared spring across the globe.
The Gala links Beijing's main stage with sub-venues in Harbin in northeast China, Yiwu in Zhejiang Province and Hefei in Anhui Province of east China, and Yibin in southwest China, together offering a vibrant blend of tradition and modern flair.
Commonly known as "Chunwan" in Chinese, the gala has been broadcast live every Chinese New Year's Eve since 1983 and has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the most-watched annual television program on the planet.
The Gala's prominence was further underscored when the Spring Festival was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2024.
CMG unveils program list of 2026 Spring Festival Gala
CMG unveils program list of 2026 Spring Festival Gala
CMG unveils program list of 2026 Spring Festival Gala
The Brazilian arm of China's State Grid recently brought together Chinese and Brazilian employees for a unique celebration in Rio de Janeiro, as the Chinese Spring Festival and Rio Carnival coincided this year.
Rio Carnival runs from Feb 13 to 17, while the Spring Festival, which marks the start of the Chinese New Year and ushers in the Year of the Horse, will begin on Feb 17.
The celebration, held at State Grid Brazil’s headquarters, blended the traditions of the Chinese New Year with the vibrant energy and music of Brazil’s most iconic festival.
The program opened with a performance by a Brazilian dance company to mark the Chinese New Year, followed by high-energy samba music and colorful Carnival costumes. Employees also received personalized souvenirs of Chinese calligraphy featuring their names and traditional well wishes.
Ramon Haddad, vice president of State Grid Holding Brazil, said the company now operates 25 transmission concessions nationwide and that fostering joy and cultural exchange is central to its workplace culture.
"We have about 1,000 employees across Brazil, and we always want to bring Brazilians and Chinese together, celebrating both countries' holidays. As a binational company, we need to focus on integration," he said.
The company noted that the overlap of the Chinese New Year and Brazil's Carnival underscores shared themes of joy, renewal and hope for the future.
Since arriving in Brazil in 2010, State Grid has expanded its transmission network, which now carries about ten percent of the country's high-voltage electricity and helps deliver renewable energy, among other sources, to major consumer centers.
Chinese, Brazilians celebrate in Rio as holidays coincide
