10 excellent things to do this October Golden Week
China's 'Golden Week' holiday kicks off on Saturday 1 October in celebration of the founding of the People's Republic of China back in 1949. And with it comes a whole host of events for you stuff your face, party and/or take in some culture.
Here's our rundown of the best things to do this Golden Week:
Savour some sublime snacks from celebrity chefs
The Renaissance Yangtze Hotel's Oktoberfest celebration wraps up on Friday 30 September if you fancy welcoming in China's National Day with a stonking great Bavarian hangover, while two big food festivals should provide plenty of fodder for anyone with the Golden Week munchies.
The Hub at Hongqiao are hosting another edition of their Savour Festival with 'Demon Chef' Alvin Leung of Bo Innovation (who just opened two Shanghai ventures on The Bund) joining Kirk Westaway of Michelin-starred Singapore eatery Jaan and Anthony Demetre of London restaurants Wild Honey and the now-defunct Arbutus. Local grub spots like The Bull & Claw, Calypso and dessert masters Chikalicious will also have booths serving up small bites. Entry at the door is 250RMB per person, with discounts for couples or trios and for purchasing online in advance.
Meanwhile down near the Yuz Museum, The West Bund Food Festival will also, surprise surprise, be boasting several international chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants. But there will also be higher-end Chinese options from well-known national brands such as (newly Michelin starred) Da Dong, and top-tier chef Corrado Michelazzo from 10 Corso Como will be repping Shanghai's international eats. Entry at the door starts from 60RMB, which allows afternoon entry and includes a free boozy drink. Evenings are more expensive with tickets at 80RMB.
Speaking of snacks... feast on loads of quality art
There's a ridiculous amount of great art in the city at the moment, with a whole host of big shows taking place at galleries across town - and the Golden Week provides a good opportunity to get around them.
The Power Station of Art's Snacks show is still running, the Yuz Museum has a pop art 'conversation', MD Gallery has some incredibly intricate paper sculptures (pictured), RAM is showing works from Felix Gonzales-Torres, the SCoP has some phenomenal photo works and from Friday 7 October, selected exhibits from the Centre Pompidou will be on show at Shanghai Exhibition Centre.
Find more details on this month's best art exhibitions on our Art page.
Party with Skrillex and Pete Tong at Storm
It's back. The alien-themed EDM festival that's taken China by, err, storm returns with a new location, but a familiar-looking line-up and 'outlandish' stage design. In addition to iconic British DJ Pete Tong, Skrillex, Alesso, Hardwell and Shanghai's very own Conrank will be among the performers telling you to get your hands in the air. You can buy Storm tickets on our website.
In an attempt to pull in some Mandopop fans, Storm will also feature appearances from Jane Zhang and Jolin Tsai, though if saccharine Mandopop is your bag, you'll like be at the Expo Garden Park during Golden Week. Simple Life Festival is back over the holiday, with Nova Heart, Omnipotent Youth Society and Sound Toy giving it a slightly rockier edge.
Finally get around to seeing that Tim Burton exhibition
You know, the one you've been meaning to go to for ages. It's closing on October 10, so the Golden Week is a good time to get yourself a brilliant dose of weird before it's gone.
Take in some world music beside Zhujiajiao's canals
Wuzhen's excellent theatre festival is back later this month, but it's not the only watertown that likes to host annual cultural events. Zhujiajiao is currently hosting its regular world music festival and they've got four days worth of live music shows taking place over the holidays. Highlights include two-time Grammy winner Rickie Lee Jones and sitar master Shujaat Khan on Saturday 1, Yunnanese folk-rock outfit Shan Ren (pictured) on Sunday 2, plus composer and producer Kenichiro Nishihara on Monday 3. Find more details on Zhujiajiao's Water Village Music Festival here.
Get on yer bike
Weather forecasters/doomsayers reckon there could be a wet Golden Week on the cards for Shanghai, with the after effects of Typhoon Megi expected to last into next week. If that happens, you'll find a guide to surviving and thriving in Shanghai when it rains on our website.
If we do get a few dry days, it'll be the perfect time for heading out on two wheels, with less traffic around, cooler temperatures and hopefully decent air quality. Check out our guide to the best bike routes in Shanghai online.
Enjoy some al fresco refreshment
Again, this one is contingent upon the weather behaving, but it could also be an ideal time to kick back at one of the city's best al fresco cafes, sneak off to one of Shanghai's best hidden terraces or drink in the view at one of the finest rooftop spots in town. You can find info on all of them on our website.
Scratch that dancing itch with DJ QBert
DJ QBert, born Richard Quitevis, is regarded as one of the most highly skilled scratch DJs in the world - and he's going to be showing off his DMC-winning skills at Le Baron on Friday 7 October, for those looking to round off the National Holiday week in style.
Catch Kesha on the comeback trail
Two years on from her appearance at Storm Festival, where she stepped in as a headliner following one of Avicii's many Shanghai cancellations, 'Tik-Tok' singer Kesha returns to China for one of her first major live concerts in yonks. Read our interview with Kesha online for more on her return to the stage following her well-documented legal troubles.
Be lazy
If all the above has you feeling exhausted just from reading about it, why not use the holiday to do nothing very much at all? If you plan on spending Golden Week slumped on your sofa, check out our guide to order-in services in Shanghai on our website, or if you're looking to unwind on the cheap have a read of our round-up of the best massages under 100RMB in Shanghai.
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