For Lantern Festival which falls on Saturday this year, celebratory events such as lantern shows, riddle-solving activities, hanfu parades, folk games, and markets will be held in cultural venues, communities, shopping centers, and street blocks across the city. Among the highlights, visitors can enjoy a unique roly-poly performance or boating and tug-of-war on a river. Don’t miss out on these special events that promise to make this year’s Lantern Festival truly unforgettable! Roly-poly dance Along Shenzhen Festival Avenue outside One Avenue shopping mall, visitors will enjoy a roly-poly performance in which a dancer dressed in a Tang Dynasty-style costume, will gracefully move and lean in different directions on a large hemisphere base to greet visitors. The roly-poly dance originated in 2019 at the Great Tang All Day Mall scenic spot in Xi’an, the ancient capital of 13 dynasties, including the Tang Dynasty (618-907). In addition, visitors can partake in a hanfu parade and watch shadow plays, stilt-walking, traditional Chinese opera, and musical performances. Roly-poly: 3-3:15 p.m., 4-4:15 p.m., 5-5:15 p.m., 6-6:15 p.m., 7-7:15 p.m., 8-8:15 p.m., Feb. 24 Stilt-walking: 11-11:30 a.m., 4-4:30 p.m., 7-7:30 p.m., Feb. 24 Shadow plays: 7-7:30 p.m., 8-8:30 p.m., Feb. 24 Fish lantern dances: 6:55-7 p.m., 8:30-8:35 p.m., Feb. 24 Live folk music: 5:30-5:45 p.m., 6-6:15 p.m., 6:30-6:45 p.m., 7:30-8 p.m., Feb. 24 Venue: Shenzhen Festival Avenue, Futian District (福田區節日大道) Metro: Line 1 or 10 to Gangxia Station (崗廈站), Exit B; Line 2, 10, 11, 14 to Gangxia North Station (崗廈北站), Exit 6 Boating, tug-of-war on river Earlier this week, hundreds of citizens were treated to complimentary boating activities, including kayaking and bumper boats, along Fuhai River in Bao’an District. Those who missed the events can seize the exciting opportunity to enjoy boating Saturday morning, followed by a tug-of-war event across the river to celebrate Lantern Festival. Venue: Fuhai River, section near Expo Bay, Bao’an District (寶安區會展灣水岸附近福海河) Metro: Line 12 or 20 to Shenzhen World Station (國展站), Exit C2 Free cherry blossom entry On Saturday, visitors in hanfu can enter Mission Hills Ecological Sports Park to admire cherry blossoms free of charge. The park has a total of 1,200 cherry blossoms trees on display, and features a 1,000-square-meter landscape filled with snapdragon flowers. Venue: Mission Hills Ecological Sports Park, Longhua District (龍華區觀瀾湖生態運動公社) Metro: Line 4 to Mission Hills Station (觀瀾湖站), Exit A or B Photo exhibitions Some winning photos from the fifth Expats Eye Shenzhen Photo Contest will be displayed at the second International Street Photography Art Festival from Saturday through mid-March. The event will also include three other photo exhibitions, while a Lantern Festival market, Yingge dances and kylin dances this weekend will double visitors’ fun experience. Venue: Bantian Handmade Culture Street, Longgang District (龍崗區坂田手造文化街) Metro: Line 10 to Guangyayuan Station (光雅園站), Exit A1 Xiangmihu Subdistrict fair Xiangmihu Subdistrict will host a Shehuo parade, an intangible cultural heritage workshop, a fair, and a lantern riddle solving session Saturday. Shehuo, a traditional folk celebration in China, is a festivity in multiple forms consisting of folk performances that vary in different regions. Time: 2:15-6 p.m., Feb. 24 Venue: Qinshui Platform, Xiangmi Park, Futian District (福田區香蜜公園親水臺) Metro: Line 7 to Nonglin Station (農林站), Exit C Zhaoshang Subdistrict fair The Lantern Festival fair in Zhaoshang Subdistrict this Saturday afternoon will feature 17 booths offering food, art, games, and cultural experiences. Time: 2-7:30 p.m., Feb. 24 Venue: Minghua Ship Square, Sea World, Nanshan District (南山區海上世界船頭廣場) Metro: Line 2 or 12 to Sea World Station (海上世界站), Exit A (Cao Zhen, Yu Yuanfan) | 