THE blue-black sky over Chongming Dongping National Forest Park was spangled with multicolored fireworks and the air was filled with classical music and Chinese folk songs.

That marked the start of the Chongming Forest Tourism Festival, attended by more than 5,000 people who gathered on the picturesque island last Monday.

The activities run through the end of October when many say the island county is its most beautiful.

The tourism festival, now its 12th year, is sponsored by Shanghai Tourism Administration and Chongming County government.

Chongming offers unspoiled scenery, a bounty of agriculture, green/clean living, fascinating folk culture, and fast but environmentally friendly development.

This year the opening featured an outdoor concert for the first time.

Musicians from the Xiamen (Fujian Province) Philharmonic Orchestra performed more than 10 compositions, including excerpts from classics, such as "Carmen," to Chinese folk songs, such as "Jasmine Flower."

The audience was captivated by the orchestra's magic as the autumn breeze swirled through the trees and tall grasses. At the end they shouted "Encore! Encore!"

"The festival is being held at the right time," says Shen Yongping, director of Chongming Tourism Administrative Bureau.

The Yangtze River Tunnel-Bridge project will open by the end of October, he says.

The specific date hasn't been set yet.

The project will feature traffic lanes on a two-level tunnel between Pudong and Changxing Island, as well as a bridge linking Changxing to Chongming Island.

When it opens to traffic, it will take only 45 minutes driving from the People's Square to Chongming, and commerce and tourism will benefit.

"For hundreds of years, a ferry was the only transport for Chongming people and their produce," says Shen. "The tunnel-bridge enables them to travel and transport products to market in any weather."

When the tunnel/bridge opens, more than 10,000 people will be organized to cross the bridge and walk across the islands. The walking tour will give local people an opportunity to see the great changes in Chongming.

To promote a harmonious and environmentally friendly life to all visitors, organizers have planed numerous activities.

Chongming Forest Barbecue and Camping Festival will be held at the Dongping National Forest Park from today to October 10.

The park has the biggest forest barbecue and camping area in the Yangtze River Delta region. Facilities will be completed by the end of September.

The 25,000-square-meter area can accommodate 800 to 1,000 people for barbecues and 500 campers. It will provide nearly 30 large toilet and bathroom areas.

Chongming oranges are especially sweet (organic, of course) and very popular abroad, especially in Canada. The island planting area is among the largest in the Yangtze River Delta region.

An orange festival will be held across the county. There will be judging of the best oranges, visits to orange orchards, a symposium on orange production and sales, an exhibition of orange culture and other activities.

Special Chongming produce and agricultural products will be featured, coinciding with the Shanghai Shopping Festival. There will be a special produce-shopping and picking route in Chongming.

"Dining at Chongming is famous in Shanghai. Here people can find freshness in every meal," says tourism director Shen.

"On the route people can pick fruit and vegetables and experience rural life," he says, noting it's the only rural route among the 10 routes of the Shanghai Shopping Festival.

Shen recommends several organically grown and produced products, including Chongming hairy crabs, white spirit, yellow squash and white beans.

Popular dishes and local snacks will be prepared in rural restaurants that compete in a food contest. The best restaurant gets an award and will be recommended to visitors.

Traditional events include a hairy crab festival, a national cricket fighting championship and a contest on decorating those old ovens that are built into walls: the walls and tiles are painted and decorated.

"The possibilities of Chongming have attracted many investors to get involved in tourism in the county," says Shen.

"When the tunnel-bridge opens, Chongming will have good flow of tourists and improved facilities. The prospects of the tourism industry are rosy."

Chongming White Spirit

Also known as Chongming laobaijiu (old white spirit) and Chongming mijiu (rice spirit), it's one of China's most famous spirits. Fermented from glutinous rice, it is sweet-sour and pleasant in flavor. Though it's said to be low in alcohol, it still famously packs a punch. It's a staple of Chongming culture. It is served to guests from afar to show hospitality, and it's a must on special occasions, such as weddings, birthdays and family reunions.

Chongming hairy crab

These crustaceans have a distinctive flavor. Crabs have a small body, thin shell, delicate and fragrant meat. Both females and males are popular in China and abroad. Males contain rich fat. As with other crabs, the "three removes" are required: gills, stomach and intestine.

Yellow squash

Chongming is famous for its many varieties of gourds, squashes and pumpkins in the curcubita pepo family.

One of the best known is the golden towel gourd (jin gua), similar to yellow crooked-neck squash. It has been planted on the island for more than 100 years.

It's crisp, delicious and has a faint aroma. It's loaded with nutrition, including beta carotene.In traditional Chinese medicine, it's considered a tonic used to improve qi, detoxify, reduce inflammation and relieve pain.

White beans

These are commonly called foreign haricot, or beans. They have flat white pods containing two or three white seeds. They are an island specialty and widely planted in kitchen gardens for farmers themselves. It's nutritious and tasty.Chongming cabbage

This cabbage is commonly known as celery cabbage and has been planted for more than 150 years. It's white, yellow and solid. Cabbage is extremely nutritious and easy to keep without refrigeration.Asparagus

Dragon-beard vegetable, or common asparagus root, is one of the green foods in Chongming. Canned asparagus from Chongming is sold in Japan, Europe and the Middle East.

Second Chongming Hairy Crab Festival

Date: October 16-31

Venue: Dongping National Forest Park

Chongming Forest Barbecue and Camping Festival

Date: September 28-October 10

Venue: Dongping National Forest Park

16th Autumn Ecological and Cultural Tourism Festival

Date: through October 30

Venue: Qianwei Ecological Village

2009 Shanghai Luhua Cricket Championship

Date: October 4-8

Venue: Lugang Ecological Village

2009 Clay Oven Decoration Art Festival

Date: September 29-October 7

Venue: Xianghua Town

Orange Festival

Date: October 24-December 18

Venue: Luhua Town, Changxing Island; Hengsha Island

Autumn Food Festival

Date: October 20-30

Venue: Chengqiao Town