SHENZHEN’S parks are abuzz with activity this summer, offering more than 40 cultural events across major venues through the end of August. The ongoing Shenzhen Park Summer Carnival features a diverse lineup spanning six main areas: group art performances, nature education, sports and fitness, outdoor music, art exhibitions, and creative markets. These events provide residents with fantastic ways to beat the summer heat and fully enjoy the city’s parks. Anime carnival at Lianhua Hill Park Kicking off the summer festivities, the anime carnival runs through Sunday at Lianhua Hill Park, featuring four interactive themed zones. In the anime IP zone, Shenzhen’s homegrown original anime character Haxiaolang makes a dazzling appearance. Beloved for its adorable image and uplifting stories, Haxiaolang boasts over 30 million followers on social media. The children’s activity area includes a graffiti wall for kids to unleash their creativity and a VR interactive space that blends natural scenery, history, technology, and safety education for immersive learning and fun. The Guzi Market, named after the phonetic transliteration of “goods,” offers licensed merchandise from anime, games, and idols — including badges, acrylic stands, exclusive collaboration items, and coffee snacks — transforming the park into an anime lover’s paradise. From 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. this weekend, visitors can enjoy concerts featuring popular anime songs, cosplay shows with popular IP characters, clown mascot parades, and interactive dance sessions. Multi-park events across Shenzhen Xiangmi Park: The “Xiangmi Glow Night Run” lights up every weekend evening in July and August from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Runners are equipped with glow bracelets, stickers, and paint, plus warm-up sessions led by professional coaches. Saturday nights in August will feature “Camp Under the Stars” outdoor movie nights. Shenzhen Bay Park: The “Coconut Life Journey” Nature Exploration Summer Camp runs until Aug. 8 at the Sunrise Theater, offering cross-media nature art exhibitions and an ecological theater focused on coconuts. The Huiyun Zhipao hiking program invites residents to enjoy coastal scenery while staying active. Hongqiao Park: The BGI “All Things Forest Spirit” Gene Lab summer courses provide career experiences and fun experiments revealing the secrets of life sciences until Aug. 21. Starting July 26 through Aug. 29, the “Hongguan Nature Art Season” presents immersive natural art shows, fashion displays, concerts, and night-study activities. Science Park in Guangming District: In mid-July, the “Summer Water Battle” kicks off with water balloon fights and relay water games, inviting residents to enjoy refreshing teamwork fun in nature. Dayan Mountain Forest Park: Plant discovery sessions this Friday and July 25 invite participants to become plant observers and unlock the wisdom of the natural world. Longgang Children’s Park Theater Carnival: Running throughout the summer, this carnival features four major stages: the main stage with children’s dance shows and magic acrobatics; a mini-stage hosting traditional opera, science puppet shows, and live music; the Qilin Water Fortress with water gun battles and foam parties; and the Forest Adventure Theater with original fairy tale plays. Additional family activities include flea markets, China-chic cosplay, water splash fun, and evening intangible cultural heritage performances and Ferris wheel light shows. Park summer camps for kids Lianhua Hill Park and other venues will host park summer camps, featuring outdoor development activities, science education, and art workshops designed to enrich children’s summer experiences in a fun and educational environment.(Claudia Wei) | 