A celebration of culture in full bloom

As springtime arrives, festivals get into swing with many activities themed around a variety of blossoms, He Qi reports.

As spring approaches, Shanghai is poised to be adorned with an array of flowers, captivating visitors worldwide with its unique charm. A series of events will offer a front-row seat to the splendor of the season.

The 15th Shanghai Cherry Blossom Festival will be held at Gucun Park from Saturday to April 15.Gucun Park boasts 1,600 mu (106.7 hectares) of planting area with 16,000 cherry trees of 120 varieties, making it the city's largest park for cultivation and a landmark for enjoying cherry blossoms.

This season, the park in Baoshan district introduces a nighttime cherry blossom viewing activity, creating a dreamlike scene with light projections and storytelling.

"We are collaborating with urban lighting company Shanghai Luoman Technologies to transform the area near the park's No 2 gate into a cherry blossom island with day and nighttime events and light shows," says Liu Chuanbao, general manager of Shanghai Wusongkou Culture Tourism Investment (Group) Co Ltd.

Liu also reveals partnerships with the video-sharing platform Bilibili and social media platform Xiaohongshu to attract visitors and create a new economic highlight with a blend of traditional Chinese and new animation themes. Leveraging the current trend of inbound tourism, Liu mentions plans for cherry blossom cruises as well.