2026 Spring Festival Gala amass record 13.5b new media views

China Media Group unveiled its much-anticipated 2026 Spring Festival Gala on Feb 16 with a spectacular display of dance, music and culture, drawing a vast global audience and underscoring the event's growing international reach.

Nearly 4,000 overseas media outlets broadcast the show, a 37.95 percent year-on-year increase, while overseas social media livestreams generated tens of millions of views. By midnight, the gala had reached 677 million viewers across platforms and recorded 13.5 billion views on new media, reaffirming its status as one of the world's most-watched cultural events.

International stars added sparkle to the celebration. American singer John Legend, French artist Hélène Rollès and Irish pop group Westlife performed beloved classics, highlighting music's ability to transcend borders.

In Yiwu, in East China's Zhejiang province, one of the gala's four sub-venues, performers including Jackie Chan and Lionel Richie joined voices in a cross-cultural performance symbolizing friendship and openness. The gala's international dimension blended seamlessly with its distinctly Chinese spirit, accompanying audiences worldwide into the Year of the Horse.

The evening's most resonant notes sprang from the enduring roots of Chinese civilization. The opening performance, Beginning of Spring, painted a poetic portrait of seasonal renewal. The show Ode to the Flower Deities guided audiences through shifting seasons and timeless Eastern aesthetics, while Ancient Rhythms of the Silk Road revived the elegance of celestial flying goddess figures drawn from ancient murals.

Traditional Chinese opera was also highlighted during the gala, bringing together generations of artists from Peking Opera, Yuju Opera, Yueju Opera, Cantonese Opera and Pingju Opera, in a vivid display of artistic vitality.

Innovation and technology incorporated a futuristic touch as humanoid robots appeared in several performances, merging advanced robotics with the grace of traditional arts.

The gala also paid tribute to workers and dreamers across all walks of life. Blending cultural heritage, technological innovation and global participation, the 2026 Spring Festival Gala once again united families near and far—celebrating renewal, resilience and shared aspirations as China strides confidently into a promising new year.