Presented by Chinese Radio Seattle, the 2026 Seattle Spring Festival Gala will be held on Sunday, February 8, 2026, at 6:30 PM at Seattle’s most prestigious performing arts venue, Benaroya Hall. The gala will take place in one of America’s top-tier concert halls with nearly 2,500 seats, making it the largest and highest-caliber Chinese New Year celebration in the Greater Seattle area.
The 2026 Seattle Spring Festival Gala brings together internationally renowned artists and National First-Class Performers, including:
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Claire Chang, the acclaimed Taiwanese singer officially recognized by the Teresa Teng Cultural and Educational Foundation as “Little Teresa Teng”
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Sun Zheng, celebrated magician and recipient of the Merlin Award from the International Magicians Society
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Chunli Zhao & Jia Li, National First-Class Acrobats who have performed with Cirque du Soleil and on major international stages
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Gabriel Wang, the well-known young singer from CCTV’s Avenue of Stars
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Liliana Li, trainee from Produce Camp Asia
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Pei Wang, recording artist signed to PolyGram
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ZJE, the Mongolian Morin Khuur sibling band
Most Seattle-based performers and groups appearing in the gala are winners of the highly competitive “I Want to Perform at the Spring Festival Gala” competition hosted by Chinese Radio Seattle.
Event Information
Performance: 2026 Seattle Spring Festival Gala
Time: February 8, 2026 (Sunday), 6:30 PM
(Doors open at 4:30 PM)
Venue: Benaroya Hall – S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium
200 University St, Seattle, WA 98101
Ticket Prices:
$102 / $82 / $72 / $52 / $42 / $32 (+ fees)
Group discount: 15% off for purchases of 10 tickets or more
Tickets:
https://www.seattlesymphony.org/en/benaroyahall/bh-calendar/2025-2026/26-scr-spring-gala
Claire Chang— “Little Teresa Teng”
Officially recognized as “Little Teresa Teng” by the Teresa Teng Cultural and Educational Foundation, Claire Chang has devoted her career to preserving and re-imagining Teresa Teng’s timeless musical legacy. With a voice and stage presence remarkably reminiscent of Teresa Teng, she is widely acclaimed as one of the most authentic interpreters of Teng’s music. Her rendition of “Sweet as Honey” regularly leaves audiences feeling as if Teresa Teng herself has returned to the stage.
Zheng Sun — Merlin Award–Winning Magician
Born in Beijing in 1988, Zheng Sun is a magician, director, and playwright, and the fifth-generation inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage art of Imperial Court Magic. He is a council member of the Beijing Acrobats Association and the first TED magician from Mainland China.
His immersive magic productions have earned him multiple Merlin Awards, including Best Theatre Magician of the Yearand Best Magic Talk Show, making him one of the most innovative figures in contemporary magic.
This internationally renowned husband-and-wife duo has performed with Cirque du Soleil and toured more than 20 countries across Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Their signature act “Strength and Beauty” has received global acclaim. They have performed for Prince Charles and Princess Diana, the President of Indonesia, and at high-level international summits in Moscow.
Their rare appearance at the Seattle Spring Festival Gala is not to be missed.
Gabriel Wang
Born in 2006, Wang Hongxiang is a Chinese-Canadian singer trained in Peking Opera from an early age. He gained national recognition on CCTV’s Avenue of Stars and has appeared on numerous major television programs. Currently, he is studying vocal performance and composition at UCLA.
ZJE — Mongolian Morin Khuur Sibling Band
ZJE is a sibling trio from a Mongolian family in the Seattle area. Their music blends throat singing, Morin Khuur, and steppe-inspired rhythms, bridging ancient traditions and modern performance. They have appeared at events such as the Microsoft and Amazon Spring Festival Galas and are widely loved by local audiences.
A 17-year-old senior at Newport High School in Bellevue, Li Shitian will soon attend New York University. She placed second globally in the Water Cube Cup Chinese Singing Competition and appeared on Produce Camp Asia Season 1 in 2024, gaining extensive international stage experience.
Pei Wang — PolyGram Signed Singer
A graduate of Xinghai Conservatory of Music, Pei Wang is the first Mainland Chinese singer signed by PolyGram Hong Kong. She has released four solo albums, served as Music Director of the Seattle Song & Dance Ensemble, founded the Wang Pei Music Art Center, and collaborated with renowned jazz musician Greta Matassa. In 2025, she was invited to judge the global Cantonese singing competition “Yuet Sing Yuet Brave.”
Founded in 2016, Three-Character Drama Club is one of Seattle’s most established Chinese-language theatre ensembles. The group is composed of drama enthusiasts from diverse professional backgrounds who share a deep passion for Chinese stage performance. Dedicated to both original productions and classic adaptations, the club has been an active presence on Seattle’s cultural scene, performing at Microsoft events, Amazon celebrations, and the Seattle Spring Festival Gala.
Past productions include One Scene to Fame, The Legend of Leifeng Pagoda, and If Rich, Don’t Forget Me. At this year’s gala, the group presents a carefully selected comedy sketch from major comedy festivals, showcasing their signature humor and strong storytelling.
Xianghe Dance Ensemble
Established in 2019 by Ju Hao, a graduate of the Beijing Dance Academy’s Chinese Classical Dance Department, Xianghe Dance Ensemble is rooted in Chinese classical dance while embracing multi-genre creation and education. The ensemble has earned multiple gold awards in international dance competitions and remains highly active across major Seattle-area stages.
Their featured work Kalavinka draws inspiration from Buddhist art, symbolizing purity and auspiciousness. Blending classical Chinese movement with Dunhuang imagery and Flying Apsaras aesthetics, the dance presents an ethereal vision of celestial music brought to life, offering a poetic tribute to beauty and virtue.
Chinese Dance Academy of Seattle
Founded in 2008, the Chinese Dance Academy of Seattle is a leading dance education institution dedicated to excellence in Chinese dance training and cultural transmission. The academy believes dance is a universal language capable of bridging cultures and enriching lives.
Under the leadership of Principal Mi Gali and her husband Ye Jianping—both National First-Class Dancers—the academy provides a professional learning environment for students of all ages. In addition to its biennial full-length dance showcases, the academy frequently performs at major events such as the Microsoft Asian Spring Festival Gala and the Seattle Spring Festival Gala, contributing significantly to Seattle’s cultural vitality.
Oriental Dance Academy
Oriental Dance Academy is dedicated to preserving and promoting the essence of traditional Chinese dance arts. Its curriculum emphasizes Chinese classical dance, ethnic and folk dance, Lingnan dance styles, and dances drawn from China’s intangible cultural heritage.
With a strong focus on stage performance and artistic practice, the academy’s students regularly perform at major events including the Seattle Spring Festival Gala, Chinese Radio Seattle Anniversary Galas, Microsoft Asian Spring Festival Gala, UWCSSA Spring Festival, International Children’s Friendship Festival, Seattle Mid-Autumn Hanfu Festival, and Google Spring Festival events. Through dance, the academy builds a cultural bridge between China and the world.
Tina’s Dance Studio
Founded in March 2021 in Seattle, Tina’s Dance Studio offers comprehensive multi-genre dance education. Its flagship Tany Chinese Dance Team is composed of young dancers passionate about promoting traditional Chinese culture abroad.
The team has performed at the Amazon Chinese New Year Gala, Microsoft Asian Spring Festival Gala, Seattle Spring Festival Gala, Seattle International Arts Festival, and the Asia-Pacific Cultural Center, and has received top honors, including the national Crystal Award, in U.S. dance competitions.
Seattle Song & Dance Ensemble
Seattle Song & Dance Ensemble is a nonprofit Chinese performing arts organization composed of both professional and amateur singers and dancers. Since its founding in 2010, the ensemble has produced numerous themed productions, including Those Were the Years, Our Great Northeast, and Because of You.
Through thoughtfully conceived performances with strong cultural identity, the ensemble has promoted China’s rich artistic heritage and enriched the cultural lives of overseas Chinese communities. In May, the group will present a new themed production titled Toward the North, and warmly welcomes community support.
Happy Dance Studio focuses on the promotion of Chinese ethnic dance through professional instruction and cultural education. Founded by instructor Happy, a professionally trained dancer with extensive stage experience, the studio has been dedicated to dance education since 2015.
The studio has received numerous prestigious awards, including Special Gold Awards at the Dance World TV Cup Finals and the “Fanghua Cup,” as well as recognition at the Pan-American International Taoli Cup Dance Competition. Actively engaged in community and school programs, Happy Dance Studio uses dance as a bridge to connect cultures and spread artistic beauty and positive energy.
Seattle Seven-Color Arts Center
Seattle Seven-Color Arts Center is led by instructor Qingyi Wei, a graduate of Xi’an Conservatory of Music with a bachelor’s degree in Erhu performance and training in Guzheng and Hulusi. She has performed on major international stages, including Jay Chou’s Shenzhen concert (A Thousand Miles Away) and Singapore’s Presidential Mid-Autumn Festival celebration, and has won multiple first prizes in national instrumental competitions.
After founding the Tianyin Women’s Ensemble in Shenzhen and leading international tours, she relocated to Seattle in 2023 to continue music education. In 2026, her student ensemble won First Prize in Chinese Radio Seattle’s I Want to Perform at the Spring Festival Gala competition.
Heart of the Sea Dance Team
Founded two years ago, Heart of the Sea Dance Team is composed of both professionally trained and amateur dancers. The team emphasizes strong foundational training, guided by professional dance academy curricula and a rigorous balance of theory and practice.
Dedicated to promoting Chinese intangible cultural heritage abroad, the team has performed at the Seattle Arts Festival and Microsoft Spring Festival Gala, earning widespread audience praise. At the Second Dance World Fanghua Cup, the team achieved Special Gold Awards in the senior group category.
Chinese Radio Seattle Art Center
Founded in January 2020, the Chinese Radio Seattle Art Center’s Hosting Program offers year-round training at beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. Many advanced-level graduates now serve as official children’s program hosts for Chinese Radio Seattle and have hosted the Seattle Spring Festival Gala.
Program students have achieved outstanding results, including First Prizes in the U.S. regional rounds and Special Gold Awards in the national finals of the CCTV Children’s Arts Talent Competition in 2024 and 2025. Students have also performed at the Seattle Spring Festival Gala for three consecutive years from 2023 to 2025.
Looking Back: 2025 Seattle Spring Festival Gala
The 2025 Seattle Spring Festival Gala, co-presented by Chinese Radio Seattle, Wanru Gallery, and Superlinear Academy, was held on February 2, 2025, at Benaroya Hall.
More than 300 performers participated, including nationally known comedians, singers, instrumentalists, and artists from China, Canada, and the U.S. Numerous Washington State and local officials attended, and U.S. Congressman Adam Smith sent a congratulatory letter.
For past galas, visit:
https://chineseradioseattle.com/spring_festival/
About Chinese Radio Seattle
Founded in May 2012, Chinese Radio Seattle reaches audiences in over 190 countries and is one of the most influential Chinese-language media organizations in Washington State. It has been officially recognized multiple times by the mayors of Seattle and Bellevue and by the Executive of King County.
Chinese Radio Seattle is also a trusted partner of the U.S. Census Bureau, the Washington State Department of Health, the Department of Commerce, and the Department of Revenue, and is supported by 4Culture and ArtsFund.
Through media, arts education, and large-scale cultural events, Chinese Radio Seattle continues to build a bridge between cultures, generations, and communities.