Baoshan's Lantern Festival fair blends tradition, tech, and local flavors

A Lantern Festival fair opened March 3 at Meilan West Lake Park in Shanghai's Baoshan district, celebrating with a vibrant blend of cultural performances, tech displays, and traditional folk experiences.

The event, themed around visual spectacle, culinary delights, and interactive fun, invited local role models for an immersive festival experience that integrates Shanghai-style elements, sci-tech innovation, and the unique charm of Jiangnan Watertown.

A drone light show forms the image of a galloping horse over Meilan Xihu Park, blending technology with traditional festival celebrations. [Photo/Shanghai Baoshan Media Center]

The evening featured performances by renowned Shanghai comedians Pan Qianwei and Chen Liang, alongside the Shanghai Farce Troupe. The Shanghai University Haiyi International Student Choir, dressed in traditional Chinese attire, delivered a cross-cultural performance of the song "As You Wish".

One of the highlights was the aerial display featuring 1,000 drones that formed dynamic images, including galloping horses, scenes from Jiangnan Watertown, and various city landmarks. This display was accompanied by a firework show organized by local residents, creating a dazzling spectacle. This high-tech show was complemented by a traditional lantern fair along the lakeside, where themed installations, including a dialect corridor, delighted visitors.

Visitors explore the Lantern Festival market, featuring more than 40 stalls offering traditional Shanghai snacks and local agricultural products. [Photo/Shanghai Baoshan Media Center]

More than 40 stalls at the interactive market offered traditional glutinous rice balls, Luodian fish balls, Chongming sweet fermented rice, and local specialties such as Luojing rice and Dendrobium flower tea. Visitors also enjoyed palmiers and Xinjiang-style braised dishes.

Residents participate in traditional folk games, such as pitch-pot and lantern riddle guessing, at the fair. [Photo/Shanghai Baoshan Media Center]

Intangible cultural heritage displays, featuring traditional crafts such as paper-cutting and dough figurines, provided visitors with a hands-on experience of these art forms. The fair also featured classic folk games and DIY activities, offering gifts to participants who collected lucky stickers, making it a fun-filled event for people of all ages.

As a key Lantern Festival event, the fair integrates traditional culture with modern elements, boosting cultural vitality and consumption, and becoming a standout feature of Shanghai's holiday economy.