China Media Group (CMG) on Wednesday unveiled the official theme and logo for its 2026 Spring Festival Gala, celebrating the start of the Year of the Horse in the Chinese lunar calendar, which begins on February 17, 2026.

Inspired by a poetic line from an ancient anthology of Chinese poetry, the theme of the 2026 Spring Festival Gala is "Galloping steed, Onward unstoppable", CMG announced.

It conveys the determination of the Chinese people to create miracles and move forward with unwavering confidence, and the high expectations the Chinese people have for the new era and the new journey.

The logo for the 2026 Spring Festival Gala incorporates classic elements of traditional Chinese cloud, thunder, and meander patterns to depict four horses galloping side by side. This not only highlights the charm of traditional aesthetics but also conveys the enterprising spirit of the times.

The Chinese lunar year for 2026 is the Year of the Horse, one of the most dynamic and spirited in the 12-animal Chinese zodiac cycle, representing strength, perseverance and unstoppable momentum.

The Spring Festival Gala hosted by CMG has been an essential part of the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations since 1983. The gala includes songs, dances, comic sketches, operas and folk arts.

The annual spectacle, known as the most-watched television program in the world, is broadcast on the eve of the Chinese New Year, when families come together to ring in the new lunar year.

This year's Spring Festival Eve falls on Feb 16, 2026.