Festivals and events in China
What's on in the months ahead, from Harbin's ice palaces to lanterns and dragon boats, and what each means for crowds. The trip planner points out the ones on your dates.
Harbin Ice and Snow World 哈尔滨冰雪大世界
Palaces, slides and towers built from blocks of river ice, lit up at night, on the banks of the Songhua River. The park usually opens in late December and stays open while the cold holds; the official Harbin Ice and Snow Festival opens on 5 January.
Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) 春节
The biggest holiday of the year. Cities empty as people go home, many small restaurants and shops close for days, and trains are packed before and after. Temple fairs, red lanterns and fireworks where they are allowed.
Temple fairs in Beijing 北京庙会
Food stalls, folk performances and crowds in parks such as Ditan and Longtan during the first days of the new year. Which fairs run changes from year to year.
Lantern Festival 元宵节
The fifteenth day of the new year closes the Spring Festival season with lanterns, riddles and sweet rice dumplings (yuanxiao). Big lantern shows run for days around it, for example on Xi'an's City Wall and at Shanghai's Yu Garden.
Qingming Festival 清明节
Tomb-sweeping day, with a short public holiday around it; scenic spots near cities are busy. Spring blossoms are at their best in many places.
Dragon Boat Festival 端午节
Dragon boat races on rivers and lakes, and zongzi (sticky rice wrapped in leaves) everywhere; a short public holiday.
Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋节
Families gather under the full moon and give mooncakes; lantern displays in parks. A short public holiday, sometimes joined to National Day.
National Day Golden Week 国庆黄金周
Seven days off for the whole country: the busiest week of the year at every famous sight, on every train and in every hotel. Tiananmen Square is decorated with flowers.
Check before you go: dates marked "around" are set each season by the organizers; confirm them before you book.