Shanghai

The majority of China's holidays and festivals are determined by the lunar calendar and can vary as much as a few weeks from year to year. Please consult a lunar calendar for corresponding dates in the western calendar.

April – May

• Longhua Temple Fair, held in Longhua Old Town, has a history of more than 300 years. Legend tells that the Laughing Buddha was born under the Longhua Tree, preached Buddhism and saved people from secular sufferings. This later developed into a temple fair.
• Other spring events include the Nan Hui Peach Festival, Shanghai International Fashion Festival (late-April) and Shanghai International Music Festival.
• Shanghai International Tea Culture Festival in late-April is a national gala to promote tea cultural exchange.

June

• The Dragon Boat Festival, on the fifth day of the fifth moon, celebrates the national hero Qu Yuan, who drowned himself in the 3rd Century BC in protest against the corrupt emperor. Legend has it that people attempted to prevent fish from feeding on his body by throwing rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves into the sea and frightening fish away by beating drums. Today crews in narrow dragon boats race to the beat of heavy drums, and rice wrapped in bamboo leaves is consumed.
• The Shanghai International Film Festival takes place for approximately one week in June.
• The Shanghai International TV Festival takes place in mid-June.

September – October

• On October 1, National Day celebrates the founding of the People's Republic of China.
• The Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th moon, which generally falls in early October. The Chinese spend this time gazing at the full moon and exchanging tasty moon cakes filled with egg yolks, bean paste, sugar and other delectable surprises.
• Other autumn events include the Shanghai Sweet-Osmanthus Festival, the Shanghai International Fireworks Festival, the Shanghai Oranges Festival and the Shanghai International Tourist Festival.

November

• The Shanghai International Art Festival takes place in November,

December – January

• The Shanghai International Marathon takes place in December or January.