The Chinese Grand Prix, a key stop in the Formula One World Championship, wrapped up in Shanghai on Sunday, with attendance reaching around 220,000 spectators, according to the event operator.
The Shanghai event marks the second race of the 24-race Formula One season. Since its debut in the Chinese metropolis in 2004, the F1 Chinese Grand Prix has become a globally recognized sporting event and a significant highlight on the city's sports calendar. As this year coincides with the 75th anniversary of F1, the event drew massive interest.
Outside the event venue, a 32,000-square-meter area was transformed into a free, one-stop automotive culture experience for the public. The venue featured car displays, interactive zones, music stages, and food stalls, offering diverse activities for fans and families alike.
In addition, the Shanghai Jiading District, where the race venue is located, also holds the Shanghai Automobile Culture Festival simultaneously, introducing themed tourism routes and promotional packages combining race tickets with hotelstays and local attractions.
"During the F1 Chinese Grand Prix this year, spending on dining, accommodation, transportation, and entertainment reached a new high. The occupancy rate of major mid-to-high-end hotels in Jiading averaged over 95 percent," said Jin Fen, Deputy Director of the Jiading District Culture and Tourism Bureau.
According to event organizers, 10 percent of the spectators were international visitors, 20 percent were locals of Shanghai, and 70 percent traveled from across China.
"I've been in China (for) two months. I was traveling around. I love it. Shanghai is amazing," said a Russian visitor.
"I come from Jingdezhen City in Jiangxi Province. I've been watching the games for three days," said a Chinese boy.
"I arrived on Friday [to] visit the city, visiting several places like Zhujiajiao, Suzhou and the center of Shanghai," said a visitor from Italy.
Yang Yibin, chairman of the F1 Chinese Grand Prix operating team, highlighted the event's broader impact.
"The three-day event attracted approximately 220,000 spectators. Shanghai has established a coordinated mechanism integrating culture, sports, commerce, tourism, and exhibitions. For major events like this one, it is important to make good use of this mechanism to promote consumption and drive economic growth," he said.
F1 Chinese Grand Prix draws 220,000 spectators
Chinese traditions such as mooncakes, lanterns and lion dances are bringing people together across several countries as celebrations for the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival open a window on Chinese culture for overseas communities and local residents alike.
The Mid-Autumn Festival, one of the most important traditional Chinese holidays, falls on Sept 25 this year. Celebrated on the night of a full moon, it is a time when families gather to share mooncakes, light lanterns and admire the moon, a symbol of reunion.
From lantern-making in Hamburg to lion dances at a Canadian night market, vibrant Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations have been held around the world, bringing together overseas Chinese and local communities to share in the traditions and cultural charm of the festival.
In Hamburg, a garden party transformed the city center into a public festival ground over the weekend, with the mooncakes to taste, children's laughter around the pastry tables and local residents trying their hands at lantern-making.
For many residents, it was a first encounter with the festival.
"I learned about the Mid-Autumn Festival through a friend. Being able to get closer to China here in Hamburg is very special for me," said Arantxa Arana, a Hamburg resident.
The outdoor gathering was only part of the city's celebrations. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Shanghai and Hamburg, and to mark the occasion, a Mid-Autumn gala was held at the Hamburg Yuyuan Garden. Modeled on its Shanghai namesake, the garden was built to honor that very partnership.
Against that backdrop, a folk music quintet, dances and dramas took the stage, drawing warm applause as Chinese and German residents gathered to celebrate the festival.
The stage also belonged to some of the city's youngest talents.
"I'm very happy to perform here today. I wish all of you a happy Mid-Autumn Festival," said Anna Klatt, a German high school student.
In Canada, the festival is reaching beyond the biggest cities. Alongside celebrations in Toronto and Vancouver, the small city of Burlington in southern Ontario held its first-ever Mid-Autumn event as an Asian night market opened at the city's largest shopping mall on Friday, complete with Chinese cultural performances, lion dances and Kung Fu.
For one local performer, the appeal goes well beyond the food.
"I love mooncakes. I understand the mythology and legends behind the Moon Festival. I really admire the culture. It's very nice," said Amit, a member of a lion dance team in Ontario.
Half a world away in the Saudi capital Riyadh, the celebration moved from the marketplace to the classroom. The Confucius Institute at the Prince Sultan University gathered students from several universities to taste mooncakes, try on traditional Chinese clothing and learn about Chinese tea culture.
"I like learning Chinese because I like Chinese culture. I hope that I can have an opportunity to study and work in China in the future," said Mohammed, one of the participating students.
Zhang Xinying, the Chinese director of the Confucius Institute at Prince Sultan University, hopes the festive event will spark a deeper curiosity about China.
"More and more students are keen to learn Chinese. They are not just learning the language, but many want to study in China, have closer exchanges with Chinese people, and even use Chinese as a working language in Chinese companies," she said.
Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations worldwide show charms of Chinese culture
