Full coverage: 2017 Spring Festival
Since Chinese people can be found in every corner of the world, celebrations for the Chinese Lunar New Year have taken root across the globe. They came in various forms and styles -- let's first go to San Francisco in the United States to see a stage of sights and sounds presented for the festival.
A two-hour long performance brought by China Central Television was staged over the weekend in San Francisco, entertaining thousands in the local audience. It was one leg of the "CCTV Spring Festival Overseas Tour". The show includes singing, dancing, comedy routines, and acrobatics presented by more than 50 artists.
CCTV broadcasts an annual Spring Festival gala in Beijing on Lunar New Year's Eve. It has long been a must-see event for Chinese all around the world. This show brought the spirit of the event to the other shore of the Pacific Ocean for the first time in over 20 years. The local audience was thrilled to see their idols and stars up-close.
"It's very good. They did quite well. I've been working as a judge here in San Francisco for more than 30 years. This is the first time for me to see such wonderful performances," San Francisco resident Guo Liliang said.
"We can now see the stars who could only be seen on the Spring Festival Gala on TV. The show makes me feel very nostalgic," San Francisco resident Wang Song said.
"The central government cares for us overseas Chinese very much. We can feel how deeply festive it is. We know that our country has been growing stronger," San Francisco resident Qiu Weifeng said.
Over in Barcelona, Spain, a colorful parade took to the street near the Arch of Triumph on Saturday. The Catalan Chinese community, along with the Barcelona City Council and the association of Casa, organized the parade to celebrate the start of the Year of the Rooster. The nearly 2-hour parade wowed spectators with skillful dragon and lion dances, martial arts, and the crackling of fireworks.
The Spanish city has for years maintained the tradition of hosting a street party to greet the Chinese Spring Festival.
