Light, Art and Night‑time Consumption Unfold at Chaoyang’s International Lighting Festival in Beijing

According to People’s Daily Online, the 2026 Chaoyang International Lighting and Consumption Season, together with the 2026 Liangma River International Arts Season, opened at the Shell Theatre within Chaoyang Park on 24 September. Running across the Mid‑Autumn and National Day holidays for the first time, the lighting‑themed event will conclude on 11 October under the slogan “AMAZING YOU” to deliver immersive light‑art experiences.

Running separately until 20 November, the parallel Liangma River International Arts Season adopts the theme “Art Illuminates Life – Waterfront and City Co‑existence”. It brings together top‑tier artistic resources from home and abroad to stage more than one hundred performances grouped under ten thematic categories.

The lighting‑driven event follows a framework built around two core zones, multiple linked sites and city‑wide resonance. The Liangma River Cultural‑Economic Belt and the Olympic Central Area act as main venues, joined by the Central Business District, Sanlitun commercial precinct, Chaowai UIC block, Dawangjing Business District and Gaobeidian. Drawing on Chaoyang District’s international resources, the initiative seeks to unlock new momentum for urban night‑time spending.

Within Chaoyang Park, visitors can view the lit‑up skyline of the CBD to the south, glowing building clusters of Dawangjing to the north, and bright commercial displays from Solana on the west bank, alongside shimmering reflections across the Liangma River. International light installations have been set up at Sanlitun Taikoo Li, while four combined shows featuring mountains, water, towers and the city axis are staged across the Olympic Central Area and Olympic Forest Park.

Both aquatic and land‑based itineraries are available for visitors. Tourists may board special cruise vessels along Liangma River to view projected performances over Lotus Lake and North Lake. On land, walking routes through Chaoyang Park let audiences follow narrative sequences, as waterfront spaces connect day‑time and night‑time offerings to present Chaoyang’s nightscape from varied perspectives.

*Romance of Light and Shadow*, a signature night‑time performance, forms a core attraction of the festival. Developed in co‑operation with China Oriental Performing Arts Group, the production transforms Chaoyang Park into a multi‑layered open‑air light theatre. Centred on the narrative “embrace an unexpected romance”, the show unfolds across three acts and seven chapters. Seven themed theatre spaces are scattered throughout the park on mechanical installations, floating stages and cruise vessels, creating the “One‑River‑Seven‑Scenes” travel product for combined land‑and‑water visits. A full circuit takes roughly one hour and forty minutes, blending natural scenery, riverside settings and projected performance art as participants move through the story space.

The festival merges domestic cultural aesthetics with international creative output. Traditional Chinese design elements run through the night tour routes, including reproductions of ancient ceiling art from Yongle Palace, ink‑wash visual interpretations and folk music recitals by Lotus Lake. Outside the main performance, further acts are arranged across park grounds. Acrobatic piece *Cloud Garment – Ballet on Shoulders*, which has won international honours, is staged on North Lake lawns. Dance troupes and orchestras from Beijing University of Technology deliver live shows, while sculptural works from China’s eight major fine‑arts academies sit along footpaths interacting with light displays.

International creatives also contribute to the programme. A French creative collective presents duets for floating piano and double bass beside Liangma River. An arts segment dedicated to Latin America hosts ensemble performances by artistic groups from six nations including Mexico, Colombia and Chile. Balloon‑art specialists based in the Netherlands and France bring Edinburgh‑originated shows mixing physical comedy, improvisation and magic acts. *Arch Flower*, a large‑scale light installation conceived by French artists, stands as one of the festival’s landmark exhibits inside Chaoyang Park.

More than ten premium shows will take place at the Shell Theatre throughout the event period. Highlights include an open‑air waterside special edition of *Dynamic Yunnan* created by Yang Liping’s team, retro jazz nights by ZaZaZsu, and performances by youth ensembles from the Beijing International Music Festival. Traditional and global artistic offerings reinforce Chaoyang’s cultural branding of “Sharing Chaoyang with the World”.

Carrying forward the “Light‑plus” concept, the season integrates art, live music, sports, food and trend‑led commerce to build interconnected spaces for sightseeing, recreation and consumption. A prelude programme labelled “Super Weekend”, featuring the Chaoyang International Craft Beer Festival, had already opened on 11 September. During the Mid‑Autumn and National Day break, activities roll out across the two principal zones. The China Open tennis tournament runs at the National Tennis Centre alongside an immersive carnival with fashion zones, family‑friendly attractions and history exhibits. Olympic Forest Park presents flower fields, outdoor concerts, fluorescent running events and night‑time rock‑climbing sessions. The Olympic Park International Carbohydrate Festival offers free public access to regional food stalls. Chaoyang Park hosts further events such as the North Lake Light‑and‑Life Festival and food‑themed pop‑ups, with IP figures from popular variety shows making their first outdoor public appearances alongside food booths operated by Tangshan Yan brands.

Chaoyang District will continue developing the lighting season as a sustainable globally‑oriented night‑tourism IP to support its role as a primary zone for building Beijing’s international consumption hub.