Avoid the traffic and actually enjoy the Shanghai Tourism Festival this year
Unwittingly got stuck in the traffic caused by the parade last year? Here's how to avoid it and take in the best of this year's festival
Lanterns and lights from the Shanghai Tourism Festival. Don't dread it, make the most of it -- some events are worth the headache of getting to them.Love it or hate it, it’s that time of year again, the Shanghai Tourism Festival is back in all its glory.
Although, most people know the festival as 'that mess of traffic I get caught in every year when I try to cross Huaihai Zhong Lu and get stuck for the next few hours while crowds watch as floats go by,' there’s actually more to it than that.
Avoid the parade, avoid the traffic
So you don’t unwittingly get stuck in the belly of the beast again this year, take some traffic advice from Shanghai Daily. Vehicles will be banned along Huaihai Zhong Lu from Xizang Nan Lu to Shaanxi from 5-9:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 12.
The only place in that area to cross Huaihai Zhong Lu on Saturday after 7:30 p.m. will be at Shaanxi Nan Lu -- you can only imagine the mess, so we don’t suggest it.
There will also be a rehearsal at 10 p.m. on Friday, September 11, so avoid Huaihai Zhong Lu between Xizang Lu and Chongqing Lu then.
Elbow to the front for these
Traffic aside, there actually is a lot going on during the Tourism Festival -- 22 events and floats around the city to be exact. Although the masses usually descend upon most of the celebrations, some are definitely worth checking out.
You already know about the opening festival on Huaihai Zhong Lu, and you might have heard about the Shanghai International Musical Fireworks Festival, but do you know about the hip hop contest at Century Square and Nanjing Dong Lu on September 17-19? The contestants will be dancing for a RMB 10,000 prize.
Also, folk artists will perform at Yuyuan Garden and City God Temple from September 29 to October 13. Traditional Chinese activities and crafts will be on display from October 1-3 at Guilin Park in honor of the Mid-autumn Festival. For those not already on a beach then, it'll be worth a peek.
Shop till you drop
It’s not a festival though if there’s no shopping, and if there’s an excuse to spend money, Shanghailanders are up for it. Piggybacking on the Shanghai Tourism Festival is the Shanghai Shopping Festival -- yes, shopping has been given “festival” status.
Running until October 8, businesses across Shanghai are putting their best foot forward offering discounts and putting on events to entice shoppers into their stores.
Discounts will be online as well as off, with sites like Ctrip.com getting in on the action.
For the brick and mortar stores, they’re going to extend store hours until midnight during October Holiday to ensure people can maximize their shopping, sorry, 'festival' time.
