BEIJING โ The world woke up to the thunder of drums and the crackle of firecrackers this Tuesday as billions of people ushered in the Year of the Fire Horse.
Falling on February 17, 2026, the arrival of the Lunar New Yearโknown as the Spring Festival in China, Tแบฟt in Vietnam, and Seollal in Koreaโmarks a rare astrological milestone. This is the first “Fire Horse” year since 1966, a cycle that occurs only once every 60 years. In the lexicon of the zodiac, the Fire Horse is a creature of high-octane energy, symbolizing speed, transformation, and bold, decisive action.+2
From the high-tech galas of Beijing to the rain-slicked streets of Londonโs West End, the transition from the contemplative “Wood Snake” of 2025 to the “Fire Horse” of 2026 has been nothing short of electric.
Beijing: High-Tech Traditions and AI Dragons
In the heart of the Chinese capital, the boundary between ancient ritual and 21st-century ambition blurred. At the annual CCTV Spring Festival Gala, millions watched as humanoid robots performed synchronized martial arts alongside child prodigies.+1
While the technology was cutting-edge, the spirit remained rooted in the soil. At the Temple of Earth, the air was thick with the scent of incense and jianbing (savory crepes) as families braved the winter chill to buy traditional “Fu” characters for prosperity.
The Global Celebration: A Map of Fire and Red
The festivities were not confined to the East. As the lunar cycle turned, major global hubs transformed into seas of crimson and gold:
- Singapore: The “Lion City” lived up to its name with the annual Chingay Parade, featuring massive 8.8-meter-tall golden horse installations and “Year of the Horse” floats that paraded through the heart of Chinatown.
- Vietnam: In Ho Chi Minh City, the Tแบฟt celebrations centered on the “Flower Street” of Nguyen Hue, where thousands gathered to watch massive fireworks displays that reflected off the cityโs skyscrapers.
- London: Despite the February drizzle, Londonโs Chinatown hosted Europeโs largest celebration. The traditional lion and dragon dances snaked through the West End, culminating in a “techno-lion” light show in Trafalgar Square.+1
- New York City: In Lower Manhattan, the 28th annual Firecracker Ceremony at Sara D. Roosevelt Park saw nearly a million firecrackers detonated to “scare away” the bad luck of the previous year.
Italy: An Olympic Crossover
In an unusual twist, the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games coincided with the peak of the lunar festivities. In Milanโs Via Paolo Sarpi (the cityโs historic Chinatown), red lanterns shared the skyline with the Olympic rings. Due to the Games, the city’s grand Dragon Parade has been moved to March 1, creating a unique “extended” festival season for tourists and athletes alike.+1
The Ritual of Renewal
Regardless of the geography, the core tenets of the Lunar New Year remain a universal constant: Reunion, Renewal, and Remembrance.
โThe Fire Horse demands movement,โ said one astrologer in Hong Kong. โAfter the ‘shedding’ energy of the Snake year, we are now in a year of momentum. It is a time for those who have been waiting to finally gallop forward.โ
The Table of Prosperity:
- Dumplings: Shaped like silver ingots to invite wealth.
- Fish: Eaten last to ensure “abundance” remains at the end of the year.
- Tteokguk: In Korea, this sliced rice cake soup is consumed to signify starting the year with a clean mind and body.
- Red Envelopes (Hongbao): Millions of digital and physical envelopes were exchanged today, though many opted for the traditional “crisp, new notes” to ensure the luck isn’t “wrinkled.”
As the first day of the Year of the Horse draws to a close, the “Spring Festival” travel rush continues, with an estimated 3 billion trips expected across Asia as families return to their ancestral homes. In a world often characterized by division, the Lunar New Year remains one of the few truly global moments of shared hopeโa collective breath before the gallop begins.