On January 9th, the press conference themed "Celebrate the Chinese New Year in Guangdong" was held. It is preliminarily calculated that in 2024, Guangdong welcomed over 800 million visitors, with tourism revenue exceeding 1 trillion yuan.

During the Spring Festival, a series of cultural activities benefiting the public will be held, including celebrating the Chinese New Year at museums with over 1,000 exhibitions and displays, around 200 special spring-themed exhibitions, and approximately 400 New Year events. Nearly 1,000 themed activities will be launched, such as intangible cultural heritage celebrations and grand performances. Additionally, 1,000 events will be organized, featuring intangible cultural heritage and artistic performances in scenic spots.

On the afternoon of January 31st (the third day of the Lunar New Year), Shantou will host a "Yingge Banquet" at the historic Dongli Ancient Town, which has a history of over 260 years. Citizens and tourists can enjoy the Yingge dance and taste the delicious Yingge cuisine. On the evening of January 30th (the second day of the Lunar New Year), Shantou will hold a grand New Year fireworks show at the Inner Harbor. The display will feature 15-inch high-altitude special-effect fireworks, over 5,000 drones, and nearly 100,000 fireworks, with a 30-minute performance over a 2.5-kilometer stretch of sea and 300 meters in the air.

 

Following last year's Spring Festival, Guangzhou will again hold a grand fireworks display at Bai'etan on the first day of the Lunar New Year this year. The 45-minute visual feast will be accompanied by the launch of the "Food and Fireworks Cruise." This package offers a unique experience, allowing visitors to enjoy the fireworks, take a cruise on the Pearl River, and savor delicious food.

 

During the Spring Festival, multiple lantern festivals will offer a visual feast for citizens and tourists. Among them, Nansha in Guangzhou will host the 2025 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Lantern Carnival. Covering 870 mu, the festival features a main route over 3 kilometers long, making it the largest, most expansive, and longest-running lantern festival in China, with the most lanterns and participation from the most cities. Additionally, Yuexiu District in Guangzhou will hold the Guangfu Temple Fair, and Liwan District will host a New Year lantern festival.

Starting from the evening of January 9th, Foshan will hold a traditional lantern festival in Chancheng, which will run daily until February 12th (the fifteenth day of the Lunar New Year). In addition to the lantern festival, there will be various other cultural activities, including the Spring Festival Couplets event on Kuaizi Road in Chancheng, Climbing Xiqiao Mountain in Nanhai, Drinking Lantern Wine in Ronggui, Shunde, the Sacred Offering Ritual in Tangdu Village, Gaoming,the Brick Tower Incineration in Baini, Sanshui, and the renowned Walking through the Tong Ji Bridge.

 

Starting from New Year's Eve, Zhongshan will host a variety of exciting intangible cultural heritage events. On the main street of Sun Wen West Road Pedestrian Street, there will be a series of activities such as an intangible cultural heritage parade and lantern displays. Besides, Zhongshan Movie Town will feature events like a lion dance parade and the Tang Dynasty-themed amusement market.

In Zhanjiang, over 400 cultural events will be held, including activities such as "Intangible Cultural Heritage in Scenic Areas," "Intangible Cultural Heritage in Communities," and "One Hour of Folk Culture Showcase." Various villages will host folk cultural performances based on traditional "New Year's customs," featuring the Leizhou Peninsula's Dragon Dance, the Wuchuan Piaose (literally, flying color), and the Suixi Fish-shaped Lantern Parade.

 

After the implementation of the 240-hour transit visa exemption policy, more and more foreign tourists are using Guangzhou as a gateway to explore China's unique cultural charm. This Spring Festival, Guangzhou will invite 80 globally renowned figures from the tourism and social media industries, representing more than 10 countries, to celebrate the Chinese New Year in the city. During their 5-day happy journey, they will experience and share the distinctive flavors of Cantonese New Year traditions.

Source: Lingnan On the Cloud