Performers dressed in traditional attire display colorful lanterns at the Dunhuang Night Market. [Photo/Zhang Xiaoliang]

Jiuquan was immersed in a vibrant festive atmosphere during the 2026 Spring Festival holiday, as a rich array of cultural and tourism activities energized the city.

The celebrations, spanning tourist attractions, commercial streets, and cultural venues, featured 10 themed series and more than 150 tourism and sports events, delivering a strong start to the new year.

Total visitor numbers from Feb 15 to 23 rose by 18.85 percent year-on-year, while tourism revenue increased by 14.62 percent.

Municipal cultural institutions staged theatrical performances, oil-painting exhibitions, and New Year woodblock-print exhibitions, while counties, districts, and local governments highlighted Spring Festival traditions and regional features, presenting diverse festive feasts.

Dunhuang Bookstore drew crowds with hands-on mural-copying workshops, where professional instructors guided participants in carefully outlining and coloring their designs, allowing them to experience the artistic charm and thousand-year craftsmanship of the Dunhuang murals firsthand.

Dunhuang also featured dazzling drone light shows and a lantern fair at the night market, boosting visitor numbers and tourism revenue by over 40 percent and 38 percent, respectively.

From ice and snow carnivals to folk lantern fairs and cultural exhibitions, the holiday celebrations not only delighted visitors but also laid a solid foundation for high-quality cultural tourism development in the year ahead.