This Saturday happens to be the Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the lunar calendar, marking the last day of Chinese New Year celebrations. During the Lantern Festival, people eat glutinous rice balls and carry lanterns and solve riddles. In Shenzhen, various Lantern Festival events will be held this weekend, with some offering free glutinous rice balls or gifts. Wish you good fortune in the new year!

    Joyful Lantern Festival

    Shenzhen Museum will hold its annual Joyful Lantern Festival. Locals can enjoy traditional folk demonstrations, such as lion dances, qilin dances, handicrafts and riddles. People who guess the right answers of the riddles can claim gifts from the organizers. Traditional Chinese operas and stunts, including face-changing from Sichuan opera, will be shown. Face-changing performers will wear colored masks and change masks almost instantaneously with the swipe of a fan, a movement of the head, or a wave of the hand. Glutinous rice balls and snacks will be offered at the event.

    Time: 2-4:30 p.m., Feb. 11

    Venue: Shenzhen Museum, Block A, Civic Center, Futian District (福田区市民中心A区深圳博物馆新馆)

    Metro: Line 2 or 4, Civic Center Station (市民中心站), Exit B

    Snack making

    Locals are invited to make glutinous rice balls and handicrafts and solve riddles together at a Lantern Festival event Saturday. Traditional folk demonstrations, stunts and music will also be featured.

    Time: 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Feb. 11

    Venue: Futian Cultural Hall’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Hall, 103 Fuhua Road, Futian District (福田区福华路103号福田文化馆非遗主题馆)

    Metro: Line 1, Huaqiang Station (华强站), Exit D

    Riddle solving

    Riddles will be presented for locals to solve at a Lantern Festival activity at Futian District Library and Shenzhen Library on Saturday. Those who guess the right answers can claim gifts from the libraries.

    Time: 2 p.m., Feb. 11

    Venue 1: 2/F, Futian District Library, 70 Jingtian Road, Futian District (福田区景田路70号福田区图书馆二楼)

    Metro: Line 2, Jingtian Station (景田站), Exit C

    Venue 2: 2/F, Shenzhen Library, 2001 Fuzhong Road 1, Futian District (福田区福中一路2001号深圳图书馆二楼)

    Metro: Line 3 or 4, Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit D

    Dragon dances

    The dragon dance is a form of traditional performance in Chinese culture. Like the lion dance, it is most often seen in festive celebrations and is believed to bring good luck to people.

    Time 1: 3 p.m., Feb. 10

    Venue: Lixiang Park, intersection of Nanguang Road and Nantou Street, Nanshan District (南山区南光路与南头街交汇处荔香公园)

    Metro: Line 1, Taoyuan Station (桃园站), Exit A

    Time 2: 3 p.m., Feb. 11

    Venue: Haide Square, Wenxin Road 5, Nanshan District (南山区文心五路海德广场)

    Metro: Line 2, Houhai Station (后海站), Exit E

    Light show

    On Saturday night, traditional folk demonstrations, such as lion dances, riddle-solving and Chinese folk performances, will be held at the light show.

    Dates: Until Feb. 22

    Open: 5-10:30 p.m.

    Tickets: 50-80 yuan

    Venue: OCT Harbor, Baishi Road, Nanshan District (南山区白石路欢乐海岸)

    Metro: Line 9, Shenzhen Bay Park Station (深圳湾公园站), Exit E(Cao Zhen)