"Wuzhen Ancient Town Summer Festival" launched, with Pingtan, Kunqu opera, and situational drama
The summer heat is strong and the days are long. The "Wuzhen Ancient Town Summer Festival" which opened on June 29th explores the cool-down culture of Wuzhen. The colorful summer lifestyle with scenery, food and entertainment meets the cultural and tourism consumption experience of different groups of people. It will continue until August 31st.
In the old days, wealthy families in Wuzhen had the tradition of holding banquets and entertaining relatives and friends. This year, Wuzhen Scenic Area will meet friends through music, combining Pingtan and Kunqu opera for customized immersive experiences. The "Sitting in the Courtyard and Watching the Stars" Naliang Hall will hold a private banquet with Pingtan performances as the theme, and the "Spiritual Water Peony Pavilion" Wuzhen Xizha Quhui will have tea tasting, banquets, and Kunqu opera performances in the deep and elegant pavilions and waterside pavilions. There is also a summer-themed situational drama under the patio scene of the Song Family Hall in Wuzhen Xizha. While enjoying the summer heat, you can watch the drama, watch the stars, eat ice and drink, and feel the comfort of the traditional patio breeze.
In the summer, when the sun sets, people in the streets and alleys of Wuzhen splash cool water on the outdoor stone streets to cool down, forming the custom of "Cool Street". This year, Wuzhen people continue this traditional way of cooling down and launch the "Jiangnan Water Splashing Festival" in the Cool Street. The Jiangnan Water Splashing Festival has two interactive water splashing themes: Water Lane Carnival and Shenglian Water Playing, which restore the "Dragon-Divided Rain" and show the style of the water town. People use bamboo water guns or old-fashioned pots to experience the original water splashing custom.
In the old days, Wuzhen residents rowed boats to catch the morning market early, sat by the river to enjoy the cool air, and drank morning tea leisurely. Continuing this custom, Wuzhen morning tea has been upgraded to offer new retro experiences such as large bowls of herbal tea and lotus cultural creations. The breakfast boat has been upgraded with summer lotus elements and docked at the shore, bringing the unique charm of waterside morning tea.
Wuzhen Night Market has also been upgraded to meet the needs of young people. Based on the canal culture, two major events have been created: the Canal Long Causeway Party and the "Canal Viewing" Terrace Colorful Night. The 100-meter market along the canal embankment includes drama, music, food and other elements. In the water market, near the White Lotus Tower and other water areas, the "Summer Lotus Lantern Exhibition" lights up the night and water of Wuzhen.
Visiting exhibitions is also a good choice for summer in Wuzhen. The 2024 special exhibition "Shanghai Fu" of Mu Xin Art Museum displays more than 140 classic clips of Shanghai-themed film and television dramas, photography and paintings. This is the exhibition with the richest content and the most exhibits since the opening of the museum. It will last until September 1. The three-day and two-night "Visiting Mu Xin's Journey-Returning to Nature after a Long Journey" themed experience activity will walk between the East and West Fences and explore the art frequency across time. "Wucun Exploration Independent Camp" creates "Water Village Children's King" and "Tree House Construction Society" through outdoor courses such as paddleboarding and tree house exploration, and also holds firefly candle reading sessions in combination with the summer pastoral ecological environment.
