Shanghai Gets Into Holiday Mood with Lego Adventures, Moonlit Garden and Open-Air Flicks

Shanghai celebrates National Day every year with a festive spirit. There's excitement from the Bund to the back alleys as the skyline sparkles and the streets hum with music and laughter.

This year, children can enjoy Lego adventures and carnivals, culture lovers can enjoy moonlit garden fairs and classical performances, and night owls can watch open-air films by the river or ride themed cruises under the stars.

There are nostalgic pop culture installations, niche collectors' fairs, and pet-focused social events. Whatever your style, this guide will help you plan the perfect Shanghai Golden Week.

Golden Autumn Family Carnival at Legoland Shanghai Resort

Legoland Shanghai Resort is pulling out all the stops for its first seasonal celebration since opening.

The Golden Autumn Family Carnival mixes hands-on fun with a festive atmosphere that both kids and adults will enjoy. There are special Mid-Autumn Festival building activities under the theme "Let's Build Reunion," so you can literally create your own sense of togetherness, brick by brick.

Visitors can also taste limited-time festival snacks and join the "Little Monster Party," where playful characters and decorations transform the park into a colorful autumn playground.

Date: Through October 8

Venue: Legoland Shanghai Resort

上海乐高乐园度假区

Address: 999 Lebin Rd, Fengjing Town, Jinshan District

金山区枫泾镇乐缤路999号

Immersive Mid-Autumn Experience at Panlong Xintiandi

If you're looking for something atmospheric and cultural, Panlong Xintiandi's "Moonlit Panlong" Heritage Now Festival is a standout. The historic streets are transformed into a glowing, lantern-lit Jiangnan night scene.

Over two weeks, you can enjoy traditional music and dance performances, sip tea or wine at elegant banquets, join hands-on workshops, and check out a lively market. It's a way to relive Mid-Autumn as it was meant to be – full of ritual and community.

Date: Through October 8

Venue: Panlong Xintiandi

蟠龙新天地

Address: No. 8, Lane 123 Panding Rd, Qingpu District

青浦区蟠鼎路123弄8号

Shanghai Guyi Garden Intangible Cultural Heritage Month

Guyi Garden will transform into a vibrant stage for culture and light.

As the main venue for the Nanxiang Chinoiserie Festival and a new participant in the Shanghai International Light and Shadow Festival, the garden will present a captivating blend of exhibitions, performances and illuminated installations.

Walking along the classical pathways at night, with lanterns and projections illuminating the pavilions, the garden will offer a unique experience that harmoniously merges tradition and modernity.

Date: Through October 19

Venue: Shanghai Guyi Garden

上海古猗园

Address: 218 Huyi Highway, Nanxiang Town, Jiading District

嘉定区南翔镇沪宜公路218号

Open-Air Movie Season at Gate M West Bund Dream Center

West Bund Dream Center will host free outdoor screenings every Friday and Saturday evening, with two films playing back-to-back.

Bring a blanket, sit by the river, and let the night breeze set the mood. The nearby restaurants stay open late – some even until 2am – so you can grab a midnight snack or a drink after the credits roll.

Date: Through October 8

Venue: Gate M West Bund Dream Center

西岸梦中心

Address: 2266 Longteng Ave, Xuhui District

徐汇区龙腾大道2266号

Art on the Bund x Yao Chinese Folktales

The Art on the Bund seasonal event turns some of Shanghai's iconic buildings into an outdoor cinema festival. Every weekend, six of them screen Chinese animations, including "Yao Chinese Folktales," "Havoc in Heaven," "Nzha Conquers the Dragon King" and "Calabash Brothers."

It's part art installation, part movie night, and unique with the Huangpu River as the backdrop, the city lights glowing, and a little nostalgia mixed in. Tickets are affordable at 30 yuan (US$4.2), and the schedule is updated weekly via the event's mini-program.

Date: Through November 26

Venue: Fosun Foundation, BFC Bund Finance Center, Jiushi International Art Center, Rockbund, Shanghai No. 1 Shopping Center and Shanghai Concert Hall

上海复星艺术中心、BFC外滩金融中心、上海久事国际艺术中心、洛克·外滩源哈密大楼、第一百货商业中心、上海音乐厅

Address: At the Bund 外滩区域

Admission: 30 yuan

Jay Chou 'Zhou Tongxue' Citywide Experience

Jay Chou's animated persona "Zhou Tongxue" appears all across Shanghai, from a giant pink installation at Jing'an Joy City to themed Ferris wheel cabins, pop-up shops and even AR interactions at the Shanghai Museum.

The "Travel Shanghai, Find Zhou Tongxue" bus line connects all locations, and themed cruises provide floating live music venues where bands play Jay Chou hits and fans sing along. If you grew up with his songs, it's a love letter to his music and a great afternoon or evening.

Date: Through October 12

Venue: Jing'an Joy City, Yongyuan Road, Half Marathon Suhe Cultural Park, Metro City, Shanghai Museum and Oriental Pearl TV Tower

静安大悦城、永源路街区、半马苏河公园、美罗城、上海博物馆、东方明珠

Address: Various locations across Shanghai

Wonder Flea 2025

Collectors and curiosity-seekers will delight in this fair, which features over 150 exhibitors from around the globe.

You can discover a wide array of items, including rare plant and animal specimens, fossils, antiques, folk artifacts and unique handmade crafts.

It serves as both a market and a museum, offering treasures that may resonate with you or simply providing an enjoyable atmosphere.

Date: October 1-3 (12pm-6pm, last entry at 5:30pm)

Venue: 4/F, 1933 Shanghai

1933老场坊四楼

Address: 611 Liyang Rd, Hongkou District

虹口区溧阳路611号

Admission: 50 yuan

Doggie Social Party for Humans and Pets

Held outdoors on the lawn at Bund Finance Center, it features a dog obstacle course, photography sessions, coffee, gift bags and even small contests for pets with prizes. It's easygoing and light-hearted; even introverts will feel comfortable here, thanks to the four-legged icebreakers.

Date: October 2-3, 3-5:30pm

Venue: Bund Finance Center

上海外滩金融中心

Address: 600 Zhongshan Rd E2, Huangpu District

黄浦区中山东二路600号

French Musical 'Le Rouge et le Noir' at Qiantan 31

This rock opera adaptation of Stendhal's "The Red and the Black" brings the passion and drama of 19th-century France to the stage. The story follows Julien Sorel, a young man caught between ambition and love, navigating the tension between desire, morality, and the strict class system of his time.

The production blends dramatic storytelling with a modern rock-inspired score, pairing intense emotion with bold stage design. It's a performance that is both visually striking and emotionally powerful, perfect for anyone looking for a holiday theater experience that feels fresh yet deeply moving.

Date: October 3-12

Venue: Qiantan 31 Performing Arts Center

前滩31演艺中心

Address: 777 Gaoqing Rd W., Pudong New Area

浦东新区高青西路777号

Tickets: 180-1,280 yuan

Nights at the Natural History & Astronomy Museums

Two of Shanghai's top science museums are keeping their doors open late this holiday. The Shanghai Natural History Museum is hosting its "Dragon Night" series from October 1-7, with themed evenings like patriotic concerts, kids' story nights, electronic music parties, cosplay shows, creative workshops, and even a mystery game in the dinosaur halls.

The Shanghai Astronomy Museum will also stay open until 8pm during the same period, offering space-themed guided tours, interactive storytelling, and outdoor stargazing sessions with telescopes. Perfect for families looking for a fun night out.

Date: October 1-7

Venue: Shanghai Natural History Museum

上海自然博物馆

Address: 510 Beijing Rd W., Jing'an District

静安区北京西路510号

Admission: 68-118 yuan

Venue: Shanghai Astronomy Museum

上海天文馆

Address: 380 Lingang Ave, Pudong New Area

浦东新区临港大道380号

Admission: 30 yuan

'Revolutionary Art' Exhibition at Long Museum West Bund

Art lovers won't want to miss this large-scale exhibition tracing the development of thematic art in New China. "Revolutionary Art: Special Exhibition of Thematic Art in New China" brings together more than 150 works, including oil paintings, ink works, prints, sculptures, propaganda posters and New Year pictures, spanning from the 1930s to today.

Organized into three sections: "The Leader and the Revolution," "The Yan'an Spirit" and "The Pulse of the Era." The show explores how art captured history, reflected ideology, and evolved over decades, from revolutionary prints to the diverse creative techniques of the Reform and Opening-Up period.

Date: Through November 2

Venue: Long Museum West Bund

龙美术馆（西岸）

Address: 3398 Longteng Ave, Xuhui District

徐汇区龙腾大道3398号

Admission: 200 yuan