THE Half Marathon Suzhou Creek Culture and Tourism Festival, an annual celebration of art, heritage and community, came to a close on Monday in Shanghai’s Putuo District.

The event, which began on September 17, attracted tens of thousands of audience members, offering an array of cultural and recreational activities that showcased the rich tapestry of the region’s history and the promise of its future.

The festival originated from the Suzhou River Culture and Arts Festival, which has been held in Putuo for 17 years.

This year’s event has witnessed record-breaking attendance, with more than 831,500 individuals participating in various online and offline activities, marking an increase of 66.3 percent compared to the previous year.

The success of the event underscored the enduring appeal of the creek and its ability to draw both local and international participants, according to Putuo District government.

The festival was organized around the theme of “Joyful Riverside, Charm of Putuo.” Its program featured more than 100 events across five major categories. They aim to cater to families and adventure-seekers alike, celebrate the region’s artistic heritage and embrace cutting-edge digital technology for the benefit of participants.

‘Joyful Riverside’

The festival began with a parade of seven themed, colorful boats on the creek. These boats embarked on their maiden voyage along the creek, becoming one of the highlights of the Shanghai Tourism Festival. The entire journey was livestreamed, reaching a broad audience that exceeded 30,000 viewers.

In addition to the parade, the organizer of the festival prepared 10 key events under the banner of “Fun and Play” to cater to the local residents. These events, some of which were making their debut and others that were returning classics, ranged from cultural performances to drama festivals and cultural and tourism markets.

Ranging from exhibitions to performances, the diverse cultural and tourism forms aimed to harness the power of major cultural and tourism celebrations to shine a spotlight on Putuo’s Half-Marathon Suzhou Creek, according to Putuo government officials.

To make festival participation more accessible, the Putuo District Cultural and Tourism Bureau designed 8,000 schedules for the festival’s activities and distributed 2,000 updated Putuo cultural and tourism guides and maps.

These materials were made available for free across 48 cultural venues, tourist attractions, and other locations throughout the district during the festival.

This year’s festival utilized Putuo’s creekside space as its primary stage, providing high-quality cultural and tourism experiences.

Activities such as the “Ink Charm of Suzhou Creek” calligraphy scroll exhibition saw 17 calligraphy masters from the Shanghai Calligraphers Association join 20 young calligraphy enthusiasts to create works on the banks of the creek.

The Orange Suzhou Creek Bookstore and the Orange Beach area introduced new outdoor and lifestyle experiences. The “88 Tribe” set the trend for outdoor activities, turning two weekends into camping parties.

It offers a comprehensive nightlife experience, catering to social interactions through open bars, personalized food trucks, relaxation areas, outdoor seating, decorations and stages. It allows consumers to enjoy a vibrant and trendy party with music and food.

Collaboration between Anyang of central China’s Henan Province, Putuo’s A-level tourist spots, branded travel agencies and high-end hotels jointly launched a themed cultural and tourism bazaar, allowing visitors to choose from a variety of quality cultural and tourism souvenirs.

In collaboration with the China Securities Museum, the district also organized a touring exhibition about the early stocks and workers’ movement in Shanghai. The exhibition will tour across primary and secondary schools, cultural and art venues, communities, and tourist attractions throughout Putuo.

This year, one of the festival’s key events, the original drama “Fragrant Shores of Suzhou Creek” allowed residents to explore the transformation of Suzhou Creek through the lens of a local bookstore. The play, performed at the Putuo Library, became a hit and garnered wide attention from both residents and tourists.

Each neighborhood within Putuo contributed unique and renewed attractions to the festival, ensuring it reached as many residents as possible, the district government said.

‘Show Your Growth’

For example, the Ganquan Road Subdistrict hosted the 25th Happy Ganquan Community Cultural and Art Festival, which featured the “Show Your Growth” talent show for the new era on school campuses.

Caoyang Community, known as China’s first worker’s community dating back to the 1950s, introduced its “New Trend City Walk,” which allows visitors to experience the life of a Shanghai resident for a day.

The 22nd Yichuan Opera Festival’s closing ceremony was held at the Putuo District Culture Center, adding an artistic flair to the festival.

A popular multimedia exhibition at Tian An 1000 Trees mall, dubbed the city’s “Hanging Gardens of Babylon,” showcased the ancient dialogue with heaven and earth of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. It allowed visitors to appreciate the treasures of the Temple of Heaven, which dates back to the early Ming Dynasty (1644-1911).

Shanghai Changfeng Ocean World upgraded its pirate-themed activity, Pirate Treasure Hunt, incorporating the joyous themes of the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day.

Visitors to the Shanghai LEGOLAND Discovery Center at Changfeng Joy City mall were treated to 4D movies and a series of themed activities, allowing children to venture into a dreamlike world while tackling various challenges with the Dream Hunter team to spark their imaginations and creativity.

This year’s festival not only fueled the enthusiasm for festival-related spending, but also emphasized the deep connection between “culture and tourism” and commerce, the government said. It introduced a range of consumer-focused activities and contributed to a continual surge in consumer demand throughout the city.

The 2023 Shanghai Golden Autumn Shopping and Tourism Season at the Global Harbor mall, for instance, showcased how the district’s commercial and tourism sectors collaborate to provide a diverse range of urban micro-vacation experiences.

The Mid-Autumn Festival celebration at X-Tower innovation park invited residents and tourists to enjoy osmanthus wine, witness moon worship ceremonies, partake in lion dances and take photos in front of traditional palace lantern installations.

Alongside the offline events, online culture and tourism activities remained open around the clock. They featured a photo contest about old photos in Putuo’s Taopu area, and an exhibition showcasing images from China National Day military parades.

During this year’s festival, Putuo’s cultural and tourism consumption saw steady progress. This growth was mainly driven by night markets, national fashion experiences and outdoor camping, Putuo government officials said.

Shopping spree

Throughout the monthlong festival, Putuo has hosted 42 performances, achieving a 93 percent audience occupancy rate.

More than 200 local hotels reported occupancy rates exceeding 70 percent, with flagship properties like Global Harbor Hyatt reaching an average occupancy rate of nearly 90 percent.

Notably, Global Harbor welcomed 3.8 million visitors, generating revenues close to 2.115 billion yuan, while Changfeng Joy City saw 1.215 million visitors, contributing to revenues surpassing 89.35 million yuan. Tian An 1000 Trees hosted 600,000 visitors, generating revenue approaching 100 million yuan.

Suzhou Creek, often referred to as the “mother river” of Shanghai, is poised to serve as a prime example of how a megacity can achieve both quality development and a high standard of living.

Stretching over a vast 125 kilometers, this waterway originates in Taihu Lake in neighboring Jiangsu Province and meanders through the cities of Suzhou, Kunshan and Shanghai before gracefully merging with the Huangpu River at the West Bund.

The history of Suzhou Creek is interwoven with Shanghai’s own journey since it opened its port to the world in 1843. This waterway has borne witness to significant milestones in the city’s history, from wartime hardships to the cradle of China’s earliest national industries.

More than 1,000 sports, cultural and tourism events have been announced along the riverside section in Putuo for the Half Marathon Suzhou Creek Culture and Tourism Festival.

One of the highlights is the 2023 Shanghai Elite 10K Race, now recognized as one of the world’s top elite races. Held on October 15, the route covers iconic landmarks in Putuo, such as Changfeng Park and the half marathon park.

On the water, an urban elite regatta was hosted in Putuo on April 29, bringing together amateur teams from local enterprises, clubs and universities.

This regatta has become a significant event on the creek, joining the ranks of the Head of the Shanghai River Regatta at the creek’s mouth.

The Suzhou Creek Dragon Boat Race, initiated in 2004, played a pivotal role in highlighting the positive outcomes of a cleanup campaign for the waterway. It has been a significant fixture in Putuo, demonstrating the city’s commitment to the environment and rapid urban development.

The festival in Putuo has garnered popularity not only in Shanghai but also across the Yangtze River Delta region.

As part of the Shanghai International Arts Festival, the Putuo festival has become a prominent attraction, establishing itself as a characteristic brand of the district’s public culture, the district government said.