Auto festival offers excitement alongside F1 grand prix
The upcoming F1 Chinese Grand Prix 2024 is not only an event for sports enthusiasts to experience the thrill of racing, but also a carnival for travelers from home and abroad to experience the cultural and tourism splendor of Jiading District, the host venue of the event.
A slew of spectacular activities from a music carnival to an antique car parade will roll out in Jiading from April 19 alongside the F1 Chinese Grand Prix 2024, the district government said on Wednesday.
The Shanghai Auto Culture Festival 2024 from April 19 through May 31 will comprise 20 activities and it is estimated it will draw 200,000 visitors from home and abroad to the district.
The F1 Chinese Grand Prix celebrates its 20th anniversary this year and Zhou Guanyu, China's first F1 driver from Shanghai, will make his home debut.
The opening ceremony for the festival will take place at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 21.
The festival will feature a mix of auto history, lifestyle, and future-related activities, presenting an auto culture carnival for sports enthusiasts and travelers.
It will merge the district's spring tourism resources and cultural events to enrich the experience of F1 fans and tourists, according to the Jiading District Culture and Tourism Bureau.
Highlight activities:
Classic Car Parade
A parade featuring vintage cars collected by the Shanghai Auto Museum will roll into Jiading New City, Jiabei Country Park, and the district's villages, bringing automobile culture close to the public.
Venue: Jiading New City core area and Jiabei Country Park 嘉定新城核心区、嘉北郊野公园
Date: May 1
2024 National Fitness Racing Carnival (Shanghai Station)
Aimed at public participation, this event sets up racing-themed activities such as virtual racing experiences, racing culture exhibitions, and a recreational karting challenge for all.
Venue: Shanghai Automobile Museum, SIC Karting World 上海汽车博物馆、上赛卡丁车世界
Date: April 14
Checkered Flag Music Carnival
The first Checkered Flag Music Carnival, synchronized with the F1 China Grand Prix, will bring together on stage pioneering DJs, bands, singers, and musicians from home and abroad.
Venue: Shanghai International Circuit 上海国际赛车场
Date: April 19-21
A Centenary of World Motor Sports Theme Exhibition
Curated by Yao Qiming, the first racetrack designer in China, the exhibition displays the history of the world's automobile sports for nearly 130 years and popularize the knowledge of automobile sports.
Venue: Shanghai Automobile Museum, Jiading Library 上海汽车博物馆、嘉定图书馆
Date: through August 31
"No Man's Land" autonomous driving experience
The "No Man's Land" demonstration experience area located in the "EV-AI Intelligent Port" in the Shanghai Auto Expo Park features driverless demonstration application experiences based on 3.8 kilometers of semi-open roads in the park, showing the public real scenarios of future driverless vehicle travel.
Venue: Shanghai Auto Expo Park, 上海汽车博览公园
Date: April 19-May 31
Car Fun Collection – Car Boot Fair
The event integrates Jiading's high-quality cultural and tourism resources such as Yuanxiang Lake, Jiayuanhai Art Museum, Anting Old Street, and Huating Renjia, comprising Anting's "Old Street & Old Cars" classic car-themed activities, Malu's "Car Fun" trunk bazaar, and Huating's "Beauty Fun" trunk bazaar.
Venue: Malu Town, Anting Town, Huating Town 马陆镇、安亭镇、华亭镇
Date: May 1-5
A poster promotes the festival.
Nine A-level tourist attractions in Jiading will open for free to holders of F1 tickets and its staff, while seven tourism routes will be released themed on auto culture, manufacturing and lifestyle.
"Eying the opportunity from the sports event, we have prepared diversified cultural and tourism activities, inviting F1 fans to travel in Jiading," said He Dongying, director of the Jiading District Culture and Tourism Bureau.
"As we estimate that 10 percent of F1 fans attending the event will be foreign guests, we will set up a foreign currency exchange booth at the F1 venue to provide convenient and efficient payment services for them."
