The spring breeze brings a message; the flowers bloom in their due season. On March 28, as one of the core events of the 2026 Chongming Huazhao Festival (Flower Festival), the themed activities at Dongping National Forest Park kicked off to welcome spring, lasting until May 5. The event integrates flower viewing and check-ins, spring delicacies, a parade of flower deities, a flower festival market, and other diverse content, offering citizens and tourists a romantic "spring rendezvous."

Share in the splendid feast of the forest flowers

On the morning of the opening day, a garden party at Dongping National Forest Park marked the start of the event. By then, the park had transformed into a "fragrant forest," attracting visitors to enjoy the spring scenery and blossoms. Inside the park, metasequoia trees were sprouting tender buds, and hundreds of mus of Chinese violet cress spread freely beneath the towering metasequoia groves, creating a natural purple floral carpet from a distance. "It's so beautiful. I come here every year at this time. This year's flowers are especially vibrant. I'll bring my girlfriends again next month," said visitor Aunt Guo, who has visited the Huazhao Festival for two consecutive years, always discovering something new.

Deeper into the park, the early-blooming cherry blossoms in the Hundred Cherry Grove and golden rapeseed flowers are gradually entering their best viewing period. By early April, the thousand-meter wisteria corridor will present a "dreamy curtain," with white, pink, and purple long-clustered wisteria blooming one after another, creating a misty, ethereal scene.

"The birthday of all flowers is an auspicious day; before the festival arrives, spring is already half here." The Huazhao Festival is a traditional celebration of the birthday of all flowers and an important time for flower appreciation and prayer. Staff members dressed as the "Twelve Flower Deities" strolled through the spring landscape to the rhythm of resonant drums, their flowing robes and graceful demeanor showcasing the beauty of traditional culture. Many citizens, tourists, and Hanfu enthusiasts joined in, parading to welcome spring, conveying their best wishes for spring and the future, and embarking on a flower-viewing journey.

Immersive garden experience full of variety

Enjoying the spring scenery with just your eyes isn't enough—you need to feel the essence of spring with all your senses. In March, Chongming's countryside is rich with wild vegetables. Dongping National Forest Park has specially designated a wild vegetable area where visitors can view fun educational boards, dig for wild vegetables, pickle clover, and savor the taste and sights of spring.

The park was bustling with activity. At the "Meet the Good Times" Huazhao market, a dazzling array of handicrafts, fresh floral arrangements, local Chongming products, and traditional snacks were available. There were also cultural displays and interactive experiences such as Chongming homespun cloth, painted fan making, and wheat straw painting. Tired shoppers could sit down to taste flower cakes and cookies, enjoying spring not just visually but also through cuisine. "Everything is here—food, drink, shopping, and fun!" Citizens and tourists wandered through, surrounded on one side by the vibrant spring garden scenery and on the other by the lively, rustic Huazhao market, making it an immersive and unforgettable experience.

Additionally, during the themed event, visitors can participate in camping, forest music and barbecue activities, spring photography, and also encounter sika deer, watch peacocks take flight, and experience a rich spring celebration.

"Mid-spring has passed unnoticed, yet spring is in full swing with gardens full of flowers." The event also uses flowers as a medium to offer a unique marriage registration service, inviting couples to be immersed in a breathtaking sea of blossoms, making their vows and meeting the demand of young people for personalized and distinctive marriage registration services. The registration point is located in the Yue Lao Hall inside Jinhu Tiandi at Dongping National Forest Park, jointly established by the Chongming District Civil Affairs Bureau and Chongming Ecological Tourism Group. It is the first marriage registration point within a park on Chongming Island.

A newlywed couple attending the event said: "This simple yet meaningful ceremony allowed us to fully relax and enjoy the moment. Not only did our family and friends witness the ceremony, but they also joined in the park's various activities, creating priceless memories for everyone."

Let more people experience the beauty of ecology

In addition to exciting interactive experiences, the Chongming Huazhao Festival at Dongping National Forest Park offers numerous promotions and discounts, allowing visitors to enjoy beautiful scenery, have fun, and save money.

The discounts cover various aspects. For example, from March 28 to April 30, visitors surnamed Ma, born in the Year of the Horse, with the character "花" (flower) in their name, or wearing Hanfu can enter for free with their ID cards. During the Forest Music and Barbecue Camping Festival, island residents and guests staying in the park can enter for free after 4:30 pm. During the Huazhao Festival (excluding the May Day holiday), spending a certain amount in the park qualifies visitors for a card-collection lottery. Those who purchase an annual park pass during the event will receive a free transportation voucher.

"We look forward to using flowers as a medium and the festival as an opportunity to bring people together, allowing more visitors to experience the ecological beauty and spring charm of Chongming. In the future, we will continue to optimize the tourism experience and enrich cultural and tourism offerings, creating more diverse experiences for citizens and tourists," said a manager of Chongming Ecological Tourism Group.