[Hai Lights] Big Guide to This National Day Holiday (Part II): Music, Fireworks and Live Performances

Shanghai is set to light up this autumn with dazzling fireworks, vibrant music and spectacular live performances for the National Day holiday.

Across the city, parks and public cultural spaces will come alive with concerts, stage shows, festive events and dazzling fireworks displays.

A diverse lineup of cultural and tourism activities awaits, inviting visitors from home and abroad to immerse themselves in the city's culture, energy and charm and make the most of the seven-day holiday.

Music and Live Performances:

Music Carnival at "Hongkou · Shanghai Music Valley"

Shanghai Music Valley will host a Music Carnival from October 1 to 7, bringing together live performances, digital art installations, pop-up markets and light shows. Set against the backdrop of historic buildings, the carnival blends Shanghai's heritage with contemporary music and digital culture, turning the old neighborhood into a lively music destination from afternoon through night. The main stage in front of the 1933 Old Millfun will feature live performances every day, with appearances by singers including Wei Peiyao and Wang Jiayu, as well as performances inspired by the hit Chinese animation "Renegade Immortal."

Date: October 1-7

Venue: Shanghai Music Valley

Address: 649 Liyang Rd

Admission: Free

2026 Hongqiao Lawn Music Festival

The 2026 Hongqiao Lawn Music Festival will feature "Modern Jianghu: Hu Weili Film Score Concert." It will showcase some of Hu's best-known scores written for popular Hong Kong movies, including "New Dragon Gate Inn" and Once Upon a Time in China 3," tracing his musical journey from the golden age of martial arts films to contemporary cinema. Orchestral, traditional Chinese and electronic sounds will come together, complemented by projections and film clips for an immersive audiovisual experience.

Date: October 1-2, 7:30pm

Venue: New Hongqiao Central Garden

Address: 2238 Yan'an Rd W. 延安中路2238号

Tickets: 80-280 yuan

Soul Escape in Chenshan

Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden and Classic 947 of Radio Shanghai will present "Soul Escape in Chenshan," a season blending nature, art and everyday life into a seven-day holiday experience. Visitors will be offered diverse performances, including outdoor concerts, an immersive children's play "My Herbal World," and daily pop-up shows. They can also join nature-themed classes and guided outdoor walks to discover rainforest, desert plants, as well as local birds. For a slower-paced getaway, visitors can kayak across the lake or bring their own picnic mats and tents for a relaxing holiday on the garden's lawns.

Date: October 1-7, 8am-5:30pm

Venue: Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden

Address: 3888 Chenhua Highway 辰花公路 3888号

Tickets: 60 yuan

RV Music Shows and Bazaar‌s

With live music, RVs and creative markets, the festival in Putuo District offers a refreshing autumn holiday escape for music and outdoor lovers. The two-day lineup features popular singers such as Valen Hsu, Jeremy Chang and Victor Wong. From classic hits and pop to rock and folk, a wide range of musical styles will be presented on the stage. Beyond the music, visitors can explore lively markets featuring time-honored Shanghai delicacies, handicrafts and trendy collectibles.

Date: October 5-6, 5:30pm

Venue: Taopu Central Park

Address: 9 Dunhuang Rd 敦煌路9号

Tickets: 288-388 yuan

"Era – Spirit of Shanghai"

The multimedia spectacular, a cultural brand of the city, will present its full 100-minute version throughout the National Day holiday. Stunning acrobatic acts such as Silk Trapeze, Russian Bar and Motorcycles will be featured. The show has witnessed a surge in foreign audiences with the boom of inbound tourism. Since its debut in 2021, "Era – Spirit of Shanghai" has staged more than 1,500 performances, attracting 1.19 million viewers and generating a box office revenue of 210 million yuan (US$31.3 million).

Date: October 1-6, 2pm, 7:30pm; October 7, 2pm

Venue: Shanghai Circus World

Address: 2266 Gonghexin Road 共和新路2266号

Tickets: 380-880 yuan

"The Phoenixes Take Flight"

The Shanghai Light Music Orchestra will present an outdoor concert of vintage Shanghai songs and ballads at Sheshan National Forest Park, bringing the nostalgic sounds of old Shanghai into a scenic natural setting. Singers from the orchestra will perform a selection of time-honored favorites, including "Picking Betel Nuts," "Shanghai Ballad," "The Wandering Songstress" and "Night in Shanghai." The concert will offer audiences an opportunity to revisit the melodies and musical memories of a bygone era while enjoying the natural beauty of the park.

Date: October 5, 1:30pm

Venue: Sheshan National Forest Park

Address: 9258 Waiqingsong Highway 外青松公路9258

Admission: Free

Fireworks:

Shanghai will light up the night sky with a series of spectacular fireworks shows during the National Day holiday, with displays planned across Baoshan District, Jinshan District, Lingang Special Area, Shanghai Disney Resort and so on. Paired with dazzling drone formations and iconic music, the shows promise a festive experience for visitors and residents alike. Here are some of the highlights. (Fireworks shows are highly weather-dependent. In the event of any cancellation or schedule changes, please refer to official announcements for the latest information.)

Baoshan Riverside

Date: October 1, evening (specific time to be announced)

Venue: Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal at Baoshan Riverside

Address: 1 Baoyang Rd 宝杨路1号

Admission: Free

Aegean Bingo

Date: October 1-2, 8:30pm

Venue: Aegean Bingo

Address: 268 Lefen Rd 枫泾镇乐纷路268号

Admission: Free

Jinshan City Beach

Date: October 3-4, 6:20pm

Venue: Jinshan City Beach

Address: 7555 Huhang Highway 沪杭公路7555号

Tickets: 255 yuan

Shanghai Disney Resort

Date: October 1-3, evening (Please refer to the official app or website of Shanghai Disney Resort for specific show times.)

Venue: Shanghai Disney Resort

Address: 310 Huangzhao Rd 黄赵路310号

Tickets: 799 yuan

Dishui Lake

Date: October 3, 8pm

Venue: Dishui Lake

Address: Huanhu Rd. W1 南汇新城镇环湖西一路‌

Admission: Free

Shanghai Happy Valley

Date: October 1-6, evening

Venue: Shanghai Happy Valley (Please refer to the WeChat Mini Program of Shanghai Happy Valley for specific show times.)

Address: 888 Linhu Rd 林湖路888号

Tickets: 260 yuan (The afternoon session is priced at 180 yuan, with admission starting at 4pm.)

A few more holiday picks:

If you still have room in your itinerary, the Shanghai Tourism Festival's 2026 classic season features more than 170 cultural and tourism activities across the city, including markets, food events, sports and neighborhood experiences.

The season runs through the autumn travel period, giving visitors plenty of reasons to explore beyond the usual downtown attractions.

For something seasonal, don't miss the Shanghai International Light Festival. The main venue in Huangpu District spans the Yan'an Road M. Greenbelt and The Rockbund. Running through October 16, the festival makes the Yan'an Road M. Greenbelt its flagship light corridor, and The Rockbund completes the core viewing area.

The nearby Shanghai Telecom Building features playful facade projections, including Van Gogh and opossum memes. The Qingpu branch, with the show running from September 21 to October 7, merges light art with local culture, agriculture, commerce, and tourism. Its main site at Bailian Outlets Plaza presents interactive light installations and a grand poetic light show.

And if you are looking for a little sport during the holiday, the 2026 Rolex Shanghai Masters begins its Masters Carnival on October 1, followed by qualifying rounds and the main tournament from October 5 onward. It is one of the city's biggest international sporting events and another way to add some excitement to the holiday schedule.