Lantern displays at Xixi National Wetland Park. [Photo/WeChat account: visithangzhou]

Although the extended Spring Festival holiday has ended, Hangzhou's festive spirit continues.

On March 3, the Lantern Festival will see tens of thousands of lights illuminate the city, with dragon lantern dances, riddles, iron-flower shows, temple fairs, tangyuan tastings and even robot interactions inviting residents and visitors to celebrate the close of the Chinese New Year.

The 2026 Xixi Lantern Fair at Xixi National Wetland Park is expected to be a highlight, featuring more than 1,000 lanterns. Visitors can tour plum blossoms by day and enjoy illuminated waterways by night.

In the Wulin commercial hub, the festivities will run through March 8, stretching from Wulin Square along Yan'an Road with themed lantern corridors, folk performances and interactive markets. On the evening of the festival, traditional fish-lantern parades will animate the district.

Along the Grand Canal, lantern displays span Dadou Road and Qiaoxi and Xiaohe Zhijie historic areas, where a giant Kunpeng lantern rises near Gongchen Bridge and river lanterns glow against historic facades.

The celebrations extend to Yuhang and Tonglu, blending intangible cultural heritage performances — lion dances, bamboo horse shows and folk parades — with modern elements such as robotic displays.

As tradition holds that the Chinese New Year concludes with the Lantern Festival, Hangzhou is ready with a citywide spectacle of light and culture, offering a vibrant finale to the holiday season.

People visit a lantern fair at Deshou Palace. [Photo/WeChat account: visithangzhou]