Celebrate New Year in Chengdu and Experience “Living Like a Local in Chengdu”
The Chengdu Municipal People’s Government
As the 2026 New Year’s holiday approaches, Chengdu – China’s popular inbound travel destination and the “Home to Panda ” – has prepared a range of fresh and diverse cultural and tourism activities for visitors from around the world. Those who choose to spend the holiday in Chengdu will experience a unique “New Year experience” that lets them “Living Like a Local in Chengdu”.
At 18:00 on December 31, 2025, the Chengdu Municipal People’s Government will host the “Chengdu Lights Up for You” New Year’s Eve celebration on Jiaozi Avenue in Chengdu Hi-tech Zone. The event will feature activities like light and shadow shows, a countdown to the new year, and the display of citizens’ wishes on the towers, creating a “city memory” that everyone can be a part of.
Over 600 citizens’ wishes will be displayed on the giant screens of the Tianfu Twin Towers. The beloved character “Nezha”, who became a global sensation during last year’s Chinese New Year, will also make an appearance. The event will not only light up the city’s landmarks but also give visibility to the stories of ordinary people, embodying the warmth and happiness that make Chengdu one of China’s “happiest cities”.
In addition to Jiaozi Avenue, Chengdu’s Luzhen Shanding Square will host the first architectural light and shadow show for New Year’s Eve in Southwest China. At the Tianfu Eaves in Chengdu Tianfu New Area, a water-based intangible cultural heritage fire pot performance will be paired with a large digital starlight waterfall countdown on a big screen to welcome the new year.
As a metropolis where tradition and modernity blend seamlessly, Chengdu is home to many new consumer experiences that incorporate traditional Chinese culture, offering a variety of “one-of-a-kind” ways to celebrate the holiday season.
The Intangible Cultural Heritage Lantern Festival has officially opened at the Chengdu International Intangible Cultural Heritage Park. The combination of “traditional heritage + modern light and shadow” transforms the nearly 100,000-square-meter park into a brilliant sea of lights.
“The lantern designs fully highlight traditional Chinese culture and elements of the Bashu region. Every night, there will also be performances of 1,600-degree Celsius molten iron fireworks and fire pot shows, bringing intangible heritage to life,” said the event organizer. These activities aim to enable visitors to experience the power of cultural inheritance through the spectacular light and shadow displays.
The Dujiangyan Guanxian Ancient City Lantern Festival features a stunning display of lanterns that spans the entire ancient city, with the largest lanterns reaching up to 30 meters in height, vividly illustrating the Eastern wisdom embedded in Dujiangyan. The Dujiangyan Irrigation Project is the only ancient water conservancy system in the world that is still in use today.
Additionally, the Hanfu Cultural Week, which deeply integrates Hanfu exhibitions with cultural tourism consumption, offers activities such as the low-altitude tourism market with world-leading aerial devices and educational installations in low-altitude manufacturing. These activities have become especially popular among younger crowds.
Openness and inclusivity are central to Chengdu’s lifestyle. For the first time in China, over 200 pieces of golden-threaded clothing from seven French cultural institutions, representing countries along the route from North Africa to East Asia, will be on display in Chengdu as part of the global exhibition Golden Threads: The Fashion of Golden Dressing from North Africa to East Asia. The Irish national treasure dance drama Riverdance and the Vienna Royal Symphony Orchestra’s New Year concert have also added to the city’s charm.
Chengdu’s focus on quality of life continues to enhance the convenience for inbound tourists. Leveraging the “240-hour visa-free transit” policy, Chengdu has established “instant refund” demonstration points at nine locations, including the Tianfu International Airport, the Chunxi Road shopping area, and the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. The city has also launched the “Code Refund” online service, making the refund process more accessible.
Chengdu’s first downtown duty-free store, located in the Chunxi Road shopping area, offers a collection of international brands and Chinese domestic products, including panda-themed items, Sanxingdui cultural products, Sichuan Baijiu, and domestic electronics. The store supports the “instant refund” service for departing tourists and covers international payment methods, enhancing the shopping experience of global visitors. As of October this year, Chengdu has 600 duty-free stores, with more than 170 offering the “instant refund” service.
According to the National Immigration Administration’s forecast, during the 2026 New Year holiday, Chengdu Tianfu International Airport is expected to see a daily average of 19,000 inbound and outbound passengers.
Source: The Chengdu Municipal People’s Government