As the clock ticks toward 8 PM on February 16, 2026, anticipation is palpable across China and among Chinese communities worldwide. Tonight marks the broadcast of the 2026 CCTV Spring Festival Gala, an annual celebration that has, for 43 consecutive years, brought families together to ring in the Lunar New Year. This year’s gala, themed “Galloping Steeds, Irresistible Momentum,” promises not only the traditional blend of music, dance, and comedy, but also cutting-edge technology and a renewed spirit of global unity.
According to China Youth Online, the official poster for the 2026 Spring Festival Gala was released earlier today, setting the festive tone for the evening. The vibrant imagery, featuring motifs of horses and lanterns, underscores the significance of the Year of the Horse, a symbol of vitality, perseverance, and progress in Chinese culture. The China Media Group (CMG), which hosts the gala, has invited viewers to join in the festivities, declaring, “The Spring Festival Gala accompanies you to joyfully celebrate the New Year. Don’t miss it tonight at 8 PM!”
Behind the scenes, the atmosphere is buzzing with last-minute preparations. As reported by CCTV, the gala’s production team has meticulously orchestrated five full-scale rehearsals—each one fine-tuned to ensure a flawless live broadcast to a global audience. Backstage, the complex is abuzz: makeup rooms, costume areas, props storage, and performer lounges are filled with activity. Young children, set to take the stage tonight, have been rehearsing their routines, their excitement and nerves mingling as they await their moment in the spotlight.
“Every year on New Year’s Eve, we visit the Spring Festival Gala site,” said CCTV reporter Cao Yan. She offered viewers a virtual tour down the so-called “Spring Festival Channel,” the passageway that leads into the heart of the gala’s operations. Passing through its doors, one is greeted by the characters for “joy and auspiciousness, happiness and harmony”—a fitting welcome for a show that has become, in Cao’s words, “the cultural New Year’s Eve dinner.”
The backstage area also features a “memory wall,” adorned with photographs capturing iconic moments from galas past. Among them is a snapshot from last year’s performance, when an AI robot delighted audiences by dancing the traditional Yangko. That innovative spirit continues this year, with the robot set to return for another show-stopping appearance. “A little spoiler,” Cao teased, “the robot will once again shine on stage tonight.”
Music fans have reason to be excited as well. The acclaimed singer Wang Fei, who last year moved audiences with her song “The World’s Gift to Me,” will return to the gala stage this evening. However, viewers can expect a surprise: “This year, Wang Fei will bring us a new song, completely different in style from last year’s,” Cao revealed. The promise of variety and innovation sits at the heart of the gala’s enduring appeal.
But the significance of the Spring Festival Gala extends far beyond the confines of the Beijing studio. On February 13, just days before the main event, China Central Radio and Television hosted the “Spring Festival Gala Prelude: Global Watch the Spring Festival Gala” at the United Nations headquarters in New York. According to CCTV News, this special gathering drew around 300 guests, including diplomats, UN officials, and representatives from cultural, economic, and media sectors of both China and the United States.
During the event, a series of video addresses underscored the gala’s global impact. Shen Haixiong, Vice Minister of the Propaganda Department and Director of China Media Group, emphasized, “As the world’s largest annual cultural event by viewership, the Spring Festival Gala has, for 43 years, become a ‘spiritual New Year’s Eve dinner’ for Chinese people and friends at home and abroad.” He highlighted the gala’s international reach, noting that last year’s broadcast was relayed by over 3,100 media outlets worldwide and presented in multiple languages. “From the viral AI robot Yangko dance to the collision of intangible heritage and modern aesthetics, the gala has opened a window for global audiences to appreciate the richness of Chinese culture and the dynamism of modern China,” Shen said.
This year’s theme, “Galloping Steeds, Irresistible Momentum,” is more than a poetic slogan. The 2026 gala will harness advanced technologies such as 5G, 4K/8K ultra-high definition, and artificial intelligence, broadcasting in 85 languages to reach viewers across continents. The aim, as Shen put it, is to offer “a joyous and auspicious cultural feast to domestic and overseas audiences alike.”
UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications Melissa Fleming praised China’s commitment to multilateralism and the constructive role of Chinese media in fostering peace and development. “Dialogue and cooperation are the only bridges to a future of peace and prosperity,” Fleming said. She expressed hope that the spirit of the horse—representing energy, resilience, and progress—would inspire confidence and unity worldwide.
Other dignitaries echoed these sentiments. China’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Fu Cong, reflected on China’s active role in promoting global development, security, and governance initiatives within the United Nations framework over the past year. He wished for “more splendid mountains and rivers and ever-bright lights in every home” in the new year. Meanwhile, President of the National Committee on US-China Relations, Stephen Orlins, drew parallels between the horse’s symbolism and the positive forces at work in US-China relations. “These positive forces, like a herd of galloping horses, are converging and blending, injecting continuous confidence and momentum into the steady progress of bilateral relations,” Orlins remarked.
The UN event was more than just speeches. It featured a lively array of performances: the New York City Children’s Choir and American singers performed classic Chinese and English songs, while the US National Youth Wushu Team dazzled with martial arts displays. A fashion show, “Galloping into the New Realm, Intelligently Woven Splendor,” paired robots and models in attire blending classical and modern design. The event concluded with a moving rendition of “My Chinese Heart” by a local children’s choir, creating lasting memories for all present.
Coverage of the UN special event reached remarkable heights, with reports picked up by 1,527 mainstream media outlets across 60 countries and regions, including the Associated Press, Yahoo Finance, Fox Television, France’s Les Echos, Japan’s Kyodo News, Singapore’s Straits Times, and India’s Business Today. Such widespread attention reflects the gala’s transformation from a domestic television tradition into a truly global cultural phenomenon.
As final preparations unfold backstage and the world tunes in, the 2026 CCTV Spring Festival Gala stands as a testament to tradition, innovation, and international friendship. Whether watched in a Beijing living room, a New York apartment, or streamed from afar, tonight’s show promises to deliver joy, unity, and a sense of renewal—just as it has for generations.