Tourist sites gear up for Dragon Boat Festival

TOURIST attractions across Shanghai have prepared a variety of folk cultural activities to celebrate the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival holiday from Thursday to Saturday, the city’s cultural and tourism authorities said yesterday.

Among the offerings are watertown wedding ceremonies, traditional Chinese opera performances and intangible cultural heritage displays, according to the Shanghai Administration of Culture and Tourism.

Fengjing watertown in Jinshan District will replicate the traditional Chinese watertown weddings on boats, and invite tourists to learn making zongzi, a traditional Chinese food made of glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in leaves which is a must snack for the festival.

Fengjing’s famous yellow wine will be served and traditional folk performances will be staged in the town.

At Guyi Garden in Jiading District, making sachets and herb displays are part of the celebrations.

The district’s Zhouqiao scenic area will replicate a market of the Dragon Boat Festival in ancient times.

Daguanyuan Garden, the fictional residence of the rich family in the classic “Dream of the Red Chamber” in Qingpu District, will host traditional Chinese opera performances and garden parties during the festival, while Zhaojialou ancient town in Minhang District will stage intangible cultural heritage displays and folk cultural performances.

Xintiandi in Huangpu District will host night performances during the holiday, while Shanghai Happy Valley in Songjiang District will test tourists’ knowledge of the festival in a fun way.

Zhujiajiao ancient town in Qingpu is organizing a food festival, and the Shanghai Film Park in Songjiang will serve delicacies listed as intangible cultural heritage and tourists can also learn how to make zongzi and sachets there.

At the Wukang Road tourist information center in Xuhui District, a tourism destination sharing event will be held on Saturday.

Gongqing Forest Park in Yangpu District is ready to stage an aromatic plant exhibition and a forest painting show during the holiday.