Macao rings in Year of the Horse with festive parade

MACAO, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) kicked off the "2026 Chinese New Year Activities" on Tuesday, the first day of the Year of the Horse, with a parade of a golden dragon, to extend auspicious wishes to residents and visitors.

The opening ceremony was held at the Ruins of St. Paul's, where officials of the Macao Special Administrative Region government and guests officiated at the eye-dotting ceremony for the 238-meter-long golden dragon and 18 dancing lions.

At the ceremony, MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes wished all a happy New Year and expressed hopes that the Year of the Horse would bring prosperity and happiness to Macao and everyone.

Macao resident Ms. Lam said she has been waiting for the parade to start since early morning and attends it almost every year. She also appreciated having a chance to interact with the performers. "I hope we have more of these activities," she said.

A procession engaged the public at major heritage sites and streets. It featured the dragon, the dancing lions, the God of Fortune, the three Gods of Happiness, Prosperity, and Longevity, the Horse zodiac mascot, and Macao's tourism mascot Mak Mak.

Mr. Chen from Beijing came to Macao for the Chinese New Year celebration. Having stayed in the city for five days, he noted the festive atmosphere in Macao is quite strong, and he had never seen such a long dragon before. "It's splendid and very impressive," he added.

The two-day community roadshow also features performances by art troupes at multiple locations in Macao, such as the Macao Grand Prix Museum area, Barra Square, and Taipa Houses, the tourism office said. ■