Bell-Striking Ceremony on New Year’s Eve
Time: New Year’s Eve (around January)
Venue: Longhua Temple, Shanghai
What’s on: On New Year’s Eve, Chinese and foreign guests gather at the Longhua Temple in Shanghai to welcome the New Year and pray for safety and happiness in the new year. At mid-night, the grand Buddhist activity is held and 108 guests strike the bell on the tower. Accompanied by firecrackers and drums, performances such as dragon and lion dances begin on the square of the Longhua Temple at 0:00 AM. In recent years, tourism programs such as praying with the master, dancing with dancers and dining at the temple restaurant have been introduced.
Yuyuan Lantern Festival
Time: Around the 15th day of the 1st lunar month (February – March)
Venue: Yuyuan Garden & Bazaar, Shanghai
What’s on: In addition to the traditional activities such as the lantern-appreciating, riddle-guessing, there are also folk art performances, delicious food show and other activities.
Nanhui Peach Blossom Festival
Time: March – April
Venue: Nanhui District, Shanghai
What’s on: It will show the beautiful scenery of the peach garden and simple folk customs to you. During the festival, you may appreciate the blossoms, enjoy folk art performances, and participate in daily farming activities, and so on.
Shanghai International Tea Culture Festival
Time: April – May
Venue: Zhabei District, Shanghai
What’s on: During the Tea Culture Festival, various tea art performances and tea culture seminars, etc. are held, from which you can appreciate the extensive and profound Chinese tea culture. In addition, the tea ceremony performed at the Songyuan Garden Tea House next to the Zhabei Park is marvelous.
Shanghai Tourism Festival
Time: Autumn
Venue: Shanghai
What’s on: The Shanghai Tourism Festival has become a regular large festive event in shanghai, with a considerable reputation and influence. After years of trials, it has almost 100 distinctive festive activities, involving sightseeing, recreation, leisure, sport, convention, exhibition, food, shopping and other categories. Among them, the parade, with its extensive influence and rich content, has become the symbol of the Shanghai Tourism Festival. Every year, beautiful, exotic floats and performing groups from around the world get together with hundreds of thousands of Shanghai residents on the Huaihai Road. You can feast your eyes on the brilliant performances with traditional features of different countries. During the Tourism Festival, the Bund and Nanjing Road are bustling, and the Yangpu Bridge, Nanpu Bridge and Oriental Pearl TV Tower shine with glamour. Business centers hold a variety of large-scale promotional activities, and districts and counties also hold arts festivals, fashion festivals and other series of activities, fully demonstrating the unique charm of the combination of Chinese and Western styles of the Shanghai culture.
Shanghai Golden Grand Prix
Time: September
Venue: Shanghai
What’s on: During the prix in September each year, international track and field stars will be invited to participate in 14 events. In addition, art performances and exhibitions will be held during the prix.
Shanghai Shopping Festival
Time: September
Venue: Shanghai
What’s on: Co-sponsored by the Shanghai Municipal Economic Commission, Municipal Tourism Bureau, Municipal Foreign Economic Relations and Trade Commission and Municipal Administration of Culture, Radio, Film & TV, the Shanghai Shopping Festival consists of the “Folk Carnival”, “Commodities Fair”, “International Fisheries Exhibition”, etc.
Shanghai Sweet Osmanthus Festival
Time: September – October
Venue: Xuhui District, Shanghai
What’s on: In addition to blossom-appreciating, you can also participate in such activities as outdoor movies, art performances, Karaoke, fancy balls and fashion shows.
Chinese Grand Prix (formally Formula 1 UBS Chinese Grand Prix)
Time: Around October
Venue: Shanghai International Circuit
What’s on: Listed as one of the world’s three major international events with the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup, Chinese Grand Prix (formally Formula 1 UBS Chinese Grand Prix) is an important prix in the F1 Grand Prix. The prix will then be held at the Shanghai International Circuit, and drivers from different countries will present an exciting race here.
Shanghai International Arts Festival
Time: October – November
Venue: Shanghai
What’s on: Concerts, dance performances, drama performances, art forums and other activities are mainly held during the festival.
Shanghai International Marathon
Time: Around November
Venue: Shanghai
What’s on: The Shanghai International Marathon, which has been held for 12 sessions, is a large international marathon held by the Chinese Athletic Association and the Shanghai Sports Federation. There will then be more than 20,000 participants from over 40 countries and regions. In addition, cultural performances will be presented during the event.
Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai
Time: November
Venue: Shanghai
What’s on: As the men’s professional tennis tour finals, the Tennis Masters Cup is the highest level of international tennis event. It is organized by the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government and the General Administration of Sport of China. During the event, you can enjoy not only wonderful matches, but also dance performances.
