Minhang Tourism Festival has something for everyone
A visitor photographs the datiehua show in the Hanxiang Water Garden in Minhang District, where celebrations are being held for the Mid-Autumn Festival. It is part of a wide array of activities being held across the district for the annual tourism festival. Datiehua is a traditional Chinese performance art that involves hitting molten iron against a surface to create a shower of sparks, resembling fireworks.
The annual Minhang Tourism Festival, a delightful blend of dining, touring, shopping and cultural appreciation, is underway across the district and will run through October 6.
The opening ceremony for this year's event was held in conjunction with the Jiangnan Foodies Festival at Jinjiang Amusement Park, leveraging resources from cities across the Yangtze River Delta.
The Minhang festival's organizing committee has been soliciting feedback from enterprises and institutions since June.
By retaining traditional and branded events and encouraging companies to plan innovative activities, this year's festival will host 52 events across six categories: three food experience events, four cultural and creative markets, 15 leisure and amusement activities, 12 art appreciation events, nine cultural performances, and nine beneficial shopping events.
Ten events, including this year's Jiangnan Foodies Festival, the "Step into China's Major Achievements – Feel the Power of China" 2024 Minhang Red Culture Walking Event, and "Night of Jinping – 2024 Shanghai Grand NeoBay Street Art Festival," have been included as key municipal festival activities.
Hongqiao, Qibao and Maqiao towns will host events such as the "Art Walk in Night Hongqiao" urban roaming activity, the 7th Qibao Ancient Town Cultural Festival, and the "Full Moon in Maqiao" Mid-Autumn immersive garden tour.
"This year's festival will also build platforms for residents and tourists to participate, guiding everyone to share in the joys of urban life, using event traffic to narrate the city's highlights and showcase the beauty of Minhang," said a representative from the district culture and tourism bureau.
Each town will continue to host various festivals in line with local cultural heritage, such as the 2024 Shanghai International Family Day Carnival in Huacao Town and the 8th "Glamorous Magic City" Gumei Jazz Festival.
At this year's Jiangnan Foodies Festival, over 50 food stalls offered a taste of regional specialties: soft and sweet Suzhou-style pastries, rich fish feasts from southern Anhui Province, fresh and delicate Zhejiang snacks, and steaming Shengzhou soup dumplings.
Tourism routes planned by cultural and tourism bureaus from different cities were featured in the official Douyin live room during the Jiangnan Foodies Festival. From quaint cobblestone alleys in ancient towns to bustling urban streetscapes, from serene pastoral landscapes to profound cultural sites, these routes offer easy, affordable "click-and-go" travel experiences.
