The event, themed “Gia Lai Celebrates the Party and Welcomes the Year of the Horse,” was jointly organized by the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and related units.
Performances were staged simultaneously at Nguyen Tat Thanh Square in Quy Nhon Ward and Dai Doan Ket Square in Pleiku Ward, drawing large crowds despite the chilly weather.
Senior provincial leaders and former officials attended the celebrations at both venues, alongside members of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, the People’s Council, the People’s Committee, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee and representatives of local departments and agencies.
From early evening, people streamed into the city centers, creating a vibrant atmosphere on the final night of the lunar year. As midnight approached, both squares were illuminated with stage lights and filled with spectators awaiting the countdown.
The program brought together singers and music groups from Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, as well as artists, artisans and performers from local cultural institutions, including the Traditional Arts Theater, the Provincial Cultural Center, the Provincial Traditional Martial Arts Center, the Dam San Song and Dance Theater and the S.T.S dance troupe.
Blending traditional and contemporary art forms, the performances opened with solemn melodies praising the Communist Party and President Ho Chi Minh, honoring revolutionary traditions, cultural identity and national unity. Subsequent segments celebrated the vitality of spring and the province’s aspirations for development.
In the “Colors of Homeland Spring” segment, music and dance highlighted a transforming Gia Lai, showcasing its transport infrastructure, natural resources and rich tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
Organizers also underscored the significance of hosting the 2026 National Tourism Year, presenting it as an opportunity to promote the province’s coastal, ecological and highland advantages, as well as its Central Highlands and Cham cultural heritage, revolutionary history, traditional arts, martial arts and community-based tourism.
For many residents returning home for Tet, the celebration carried added meaning. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Trang, who lives and works in Ho Chi Minh City but returned to Quy Nhon Ward with her family, said she was struck by the province’s recovery from natural disasters in 2025.
“Although the province suffered significant losses last year, the speed of recovery surprised me,” she said. “This year’s program was meticulously staged. My whole family felt happy and proud to welcome the New Year in such a lively and warm atmosphere.”
Local content creator Vuong Dinh Duong, owner of the TikTok channel Woww Gia Lai with nearly 16,000 followers, livestreamed the event from Dai Doan Ket Square to introduce the celebration to a wider audience.
“Besides promoting Gia Lai’s image, I wanted friends far away to follow the New Year’s Eve art program,” he said.
Foreign visitors also joined the festivities. Iron, a tourist from the United States celebrating Tet in Quy Nhon for the first time, described himself as impressed by the festive atmosphere and the visual impact of the performances.
As temperatures dipped in the mountain city of Pleiku, more people gathered at Dai Doan Ket Square for the final moments before midnight. Ksor Chieu, who traveled nearly 50 kilometers from Ia Chia commune to celebrate with friends, said he hoped for a peaceful and prosperous year ahead.
The celebration built to a crescendo with a collective countdown at both squares. At the stroke of midnight, a 15-minute fireworks display lit up the sky, drawing cheers from the crowds.
“The sky was filled with fireworks, the crackling sounds like jubilant music welcoming spring,” said Vuong Trong Cuong from Ia Grai commune. “I hope for favorable weather, peace for every family and progress in all things.”
As fireworks burst overhead, the jubilant scenes marked the close of the old year and the start of 2026, carrying hopes of happiness, stability and prosperity for the people of Gia Lai.
