Chinese New Year events bring festive touch of red to Frankfurt

Artists from southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region perform during an event celebrating the Chinese New Year in Hanau, Germany, Feb. 21, 2026. (Xinhua/Liu Xiang)

FRANKFURT, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) — A series of cultural events characterized by Chinese singing, dancing and arts brought a festive touch of red to Frankfurt, as residents marked the Chinese Spring Festival following the city’s carnival celebrations.

Red lanterns decorated the main stage set up in central Frankfurt on Sunday, drawing crowds of local spectators. Artists from southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region presented traditional songs and dances, captivating a fascinated audience.

The performances included dance styles unique to northern Xizang, which are part of China’s intangible cultural heritage, according to the head of the dance team from Nagqu City in Xizang.

“The performance is really wonderful. It is the first time in my life that I have watched such graceful Xizang dances in Frankfurt,” Feldmann, a 67-year-old Frankfurt resident, told Xinhua.

The one-hour-long Xizang-style performance marked the finale of the second Chinese New Year Temple Fair in Frankfurt, which opened on Friday.

A Dingbu dragon dance, a form of national intangible cultural heritage from the Chinese province Zhejiang, made its debut at the temple fair’s opening ceremony on Friday. More than 10 performers mimicked the leaps and flips while doing the Dragon dance.

Beyond the artistic performances, booths featuring Chinese delicacies, Hanfu (traditional Chinese clothing), sugar painting and traditional Chinese festival supplies attracted many German visitors.

Julia, a freshman studying sinology at Goethe University Frankfurt, said it was her first time attending a Chinese New Year-related event. The vibrant expressions and visual elements of Chinese culture inspired her to “learn more about the Chinese culture,” she said.

Stella Schulz-Nurtsch, a member of the City Council in Frankfurt, also attended the temple fair with a bright red scarf. “Red is a symbol of Chinese culture,” she said, adding that the festive enthusiasm could disperse the winter’s coldness.

The temple fairs and related activities were part of a broader program of festivities in Frankfurt celebrating the Chinese New Year.

The city government, together with the General Consulate of China in Frankfurt, has hosted the Chinese New Year receptions for years. Nargess Eskandari-Gruenberg, deputy mayor of Frankfurt, said this joint celebration has become a tradition.

It reflects stable and friendly cooperation between the two sides, Eskandari-Gruenberg said, adding that Frankfurt will continue to support deepening cooperation with China and promoting people-to-people exchanges.

The Spring Festival is the most important and oldest in the Chinese cultural circle, said Christoph Degen, state secretary of science and research, art and culture of the German state of Hesse, where Frankfurt is located.

The Chinese community is an important part of the diverse society in Hessen, said Degen, adding that Hessen looks forward to strengthening exchanges and cooperation with China in various fields. ■

(260224) — FRANKFURT, Feb. 24, 2026 (Xinhua) — Artists from southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region perform during the second Chinese New Year Temple Fair in Frankfurt, Germany, Feb. 22, 2026. (Xinhua/Liu Xiang)