As the Chinese New Year approaches, five cities in Guangdong province have declared plans to hold upwards of 1,000 exhibitions in their museums, nearly 1,000 performances, and 1,000 cultural events at their major tourist destinations—all to enhance the mood of celebration and the experience for those both living in and visiting the province.

A spectacular show of fireworks for the New Year will be held in Shantou, China, on January 30 at its Inner Harbor to ring in the Year of the Dragon. They are calling it the “Grand Firework Show.” The show will last 30 minutes, but that isn’t what makes the event significant. The use of the 5000 drones themselves makes the event noteworthy.

Like the previous year, Guangzhou will hold an impressive fireworks display at the west Pearl River on the first day of the Lunar New Year. This year, visitors to Guangzhou can take advantage of a travel package that will allow them to view the visual spectacular from sightseeing boats on the Pearl River. This, combined with a Cantonese cruise, promises a luxurious and memorable experience. Along with these offerings, Nansha in Guangzhou will host the largest lantern festival in all of Guangdong along its beautiful coastline.

Foshan will conduct a time-honored lantern festival and several other traditional events—including couplets writing, Chinese wine tasting, and hiking—drawing all and sundry into the Cantonese-style New Year.

Zhongshan will stage a handful of stunning events connected to its intangible cultural heritage, including lion dances and fairs where ancient customs are observed. Though perhaps not as well-known, Zhanjiang will hold over 400 different cultural events. These 400-plus events include some remarkable showcases lasting "one hour" that let communities share their unique folk culture with family and friends—in various forms.

Guangdong (formerly Canton), a coastal province of southeast China, borders with Hong Kong and Macau. It has a huge population of more than 120 million that is rich in diverse ethnicities.