Air show launches in Sheshan to boost flying culture and tourism

Fans of all things aviation were in for a treat recently when the first-ever “AirCarnival” opened in Sheshan, Shanghai’s Songjiang district.

The event, which ran from Sept 15 to 24, featured flying displays by remotecontrolled planes and drones in the area’s Shanghai Moon Lake Sculpture Park.

The Sheshan Basilica and nearby observatory served as a scenic backdrop for the aerial acrobatics, with performers showing off their skills above the park’s Moon Lake.

Other attractions included displays of model ships and driverless cars, as well as exhibitions, forums and lectures about aviation science and flying culture given by academics, entrepreneurs and experts from the Shanghai Aerospace Enthusiast’s Center.

Tens of thousands of visitors came through the gates over the course of the 10-day event, according to organizers.

Shan Jinwen, a freshman at the city’s Donghua University, told Songjiang News that flying model planes was the perfect way to enjoy the scenery of Sheshan.

“It is amazing to try out the aircraft and to feel like a real pilot,” he said.

The AirCarnival was jointly organized by Songjiang district’s tourism bureau, the management committee of Sheshan National Tourist Resort, the Shanghai General Aviation Association, the Shanghai Society of Aeronautics and the Shanghai Aviation Model Association, and is envisaged as an annual celebration.

During the event, organizers signed an agreement to promote aviation science, innovation, travel and sports by setting up an aviation practice base for youth in Shanghai.

At present, gaining flying experience in China costs about four times as much as it does abroad, according to Li Xiaofeng, CEO of tourism website Horizon Travel.

He urged aviation companies to expand the opportunities on offer for recreational fliers and help support the developing industry.

AirCarnival is part of a wider tourism festival in Songjiang that runs from Sept 15 to Oct 28, incorporating events such as the 2018 International Magic Festival at Happy Valley, camping at Guangfulin Country Park and a number of other activities and competitions.

Shanghai Sheshan National Forest Park has played host to its own “science, culture, exploration and ecology” festival from Sept 15 to 30 as part of the event, with themed activi- Shan Jinwen, ties such as leaf painting, woodland hikes and guided tours of the park.

The International Magic Festival at Happy Valley will be held during the upcoming National Day holiday, from Oct 1 to 7, and is set to feature about 20 magicians from six countries and regions across the Americas, Europe and Asia.

Making its debut on the fourth day of the magic festival, but staying open until Nov 11, will be an interactive haunted house covering 400 square meters, offering visitors all kinds of seasonal thrills and chills.

Elsewhere over the National Day holiday, an auto show will be held at Shanghai Tianma Circuit that promises to combine stunts and racing with traditional Chinese cultural elements. The event will run from 7:15 pm to 8:30 pm each day from Oct 1 to 7.

If camping is more your kind of thing, then Guangfulin Country Park is inviting visitors to pitch a tent and enjoy a night under the stars from Oct 1 to 2, with artistic performances on offer in addition to the natural scenery. The 2018 Yuehu Pet Festival will also be held during the National Day holiday, featuring various beauty and talent competitions at Shanghai Sculpture Park.

Then, on Oct 17, thousands of Shanghai’s senior citizens are set to hike up Sheshan Mountain to celebrate Double Ninth Festival.

In Chinese tradition, Double Ninth Festival, or Chongyang Festival, takes place on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month and involves customs such as climbing mountains, hiking and enjoying chrysanthemum flowers.

This year’s event will start in Sheshan National Forest Park and include performances by senior fitness teams, as well as the ceremonial hike up Sheshan.

The World GolfChampionshipsHSBC Champions will be held in Sheshan International Golf Club from Oct 25 to 28.

It is amazing to try out the aircraft and to feel like a real pilot.” University a freshman from Donghua

PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY Participants try out driving a glider at the opening ceremony of the first AirCarnival in Sheshan, Shanghai.

Left: Children and their parents make natural-style paintings during the forest tourism festival in Sheshan.