As the final seconds of the countdown fade over the city's skyline, how will you mark the beginning of your new year? Will you stand atop a mountain and wait for the first ray of dawn to pierce the sea of clouds? Or will you join the crowd, greeting the new year in waves of music and cheer? Perhaps you'll stroll beside Dianchi Lake, sharing the soft winter sunlight with the black-headed gulls that have flown from afar?

For New Year's Day 2026, Kunming—the "City of Eternal Spring"—offers a liberating answer: you don't have to choose. The city welcomes visitors from all directions to experience a "Kunming-style New Year," where ceremony meets everyday joy, and tranquility blends with celebration.

Upward: Welcoming the First Light at the Summit

The meaning of New Year's Eve lies in giving time a milestone. In Kunming, there’s no grander one than standing atop Jiaozi Snow Mountain, 4,223 meters above sea level. On the night of December 31, the special "Night Climb into the New Year" takes hikers from starlit trails to dawn-lit peaks. When the first light of 2026 touches their faces, the fatigue and worries of the past year seem to vanish, washed away by mountain winds and renewed by sunlight. This upward journey is not just a challenge of endurance—it is a spiritual pilgrimage, symbolizing an ascent toward the new year.

Inward: The Rhythm of Youth in a Citywide Celebration

If mountaintops offer solemn rituals, then the city's music festivals are its pulsing heartbeat. This year, Kunming's rhythm is stronger than ever. At Dongfeng Square, a grand folk concert rekindles nostalgia and pride. At Colorful Yunnan Joy World, the "Magic Mushroom New Year Music Carnival" blends fantastical rides with live performances, crowned by fireworks bursting over Dianchi Lake. Across Park 1903, the World Horticultural Expo Garden and Colorful Yunnan · First City, diverse sounds—from hip-hop to pop, indie to symphony—rise together, forming the beating pulse of the city. Here, young people find connection; here, the city releases its vitality, revealing Kunming's vibrant, youthful alter ego as a regional international hub.

Toward Warmth: The Romance of Seagulls and the Glow of Creativity

Every winter, a faithful group of visitors returns to Kunming—the black-headed gulls. This New Year, their forty-year bond with the city evolves into a living celebration of culture and creativity. Along Daguan River, the "Wow·Gull" Culture and Art Season transforms once-static sculptures into warm invitations to play. Give a plush toy a gentle squeeze, and it might ask you in the local Kunming dialect, "Where you headed?" A giant glowing “Kao Pu Gull” (the seagull that snuggles Celtis tetrandra) stands by the riverside—comforting by day, glowing brightly by night. 

Souvenirs like magnets and dolls let visitors carry a piece of warmth home. Meanwhile, at Haigeng and Daguan Parks, the “Gull Encounter in Spring City” markets blend bird-watching, shopping, and leisure into one seamless experience. More than a symbol of ecological success, these events embody Kunming's ability to turn nature's gifts into creativity and emotional connection—a true reflection of the city's soft power and warmth.

Toward the Wild: Fireworks Falling Over Fields of Hope

No New Year's Eve would feel complete without fireworks lighting up the night. This year, the spectacular displays are not confined to the city center—they scatter like stars across Kunming's suburban skies, offering visitors a chance to escape urban noise for countryside calm.

In Jinning Fishing Village, fireworks bloom against the sunset over Dianchi Lake, shared with flocks of gulls sweeping across the sky. The orange-hued fireworks—symbolizing warmth and good fortune—burst above the lake, creating a dazzling, romantic spectacle.

In Xundian Beidaying Grassland, the New Year celebration pairs with an open-air prairie feast under the stars. When midnight strikes and fireworks bloom over the vast grasslands, the entire sky becomes the stage—boundless and awe-inspiring.

In Fumin Banshan Gengyun, fireworks close a day of rustic joy. After chasing little pigs and lambs on the farm during the day, visitors gather for songs and bonfires at night, then look up to a brilliant "Starry Sky Fireworks Show"—a celebration of nature's unpretentious beauty.

Together, these performances create a panoramic image of Kunming's New Year—where urban celebration and pastoral charm shine side by side.

Toward Sharing: Gifts for All, Living the Good Life Together

The joy of the New Year should be shared by everyone. This year's festivities in Kunming are rooted in inclusiveness and accessibility. Haikou Forest Park opens to the public free of charge, inviting visitors to breathe in its natural freshness. Jiuxiang Scenic Area in Yiliang offers limited-time discounts—and even free entry for those born on the first day of the year.

From the Camellia Temple Fair at Jindian Park, the "Plum Blossoms by Dragon Spring" activity at Heilongtan Park, and the Wa Wooden Drum Festival at Yunnan Nationalities Village, to the intangible cultural heritage exhibitions at the Stone Forest and low-altitude helicopter sightseeing tours at the Dianchi International Convention and Exhibition Center, the blend of traditions and modernity, folk customs and innovation, nature and human culture converge at this moment.

This is the essence of "Yunnan: A Many-Splendored Life" showcased during the New Year's holiday – it's open to everyone, catering to various budgets, and whatever your desired experience, Kunming offers the perfect fit for your heart.

New Year's Eve is both an ending and a beginning. Kunming greets it with its own sense of “spring”—the brightness of its ecology, the breeze of its culture, and the warmth of its inclusiveness. Here, there's always a way, a posture, a moment to bridge the old year and the new with grace and joy.