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Ningbo’s festival calendar runs on the Chinese lunar calendar, so exact dates shift year to year. The big events are the Spring Festival temple fairs, the autumn seafood festivals that follow the end of the fishing moratorium, and Mid-Autumn celebrations around Moon Lake. Use this Ningbo travel guide section to plan your visit around them.
Ningbo Spring Festival (Chinese New Year, January or February)
Chinese New Year, falling in late January or February, is Ningbo’s biggest holiday. Temple fairs set up around Tianfeng Pagoda and Zhongshan Square with lantern displays, folk performances, and food stalls, while fireworks go off over the Yong River. Ningbo is the canonical home of tangyuan, glutinous rice balls filled with black sesame paste, and families make them together through the holiday. Be aware that most shops and restaurants close or cut hours for the first few days; check the cold-weather tips in the Ningbo weather by month guide if you go in this window.
Ningbo Ninghai Bay Fish Lantern Festival (February)
Around the Lantern Festival, which ends the Chinese New Year period, the coastal town of Qiangjiao in Ninghai county holds its fish lantern festival. Locals carry colorful fish-shaped lanterns through the streets in a tradition tied to the fishing fleet. It is a smaller, local event, but worth the hour-long trip from Ningbo for travelers who want to see a ritual outside the main tourist circuit.
Ningbo International Film Festival (April)
The Ningbo International Film Festival screens a mix of Chinese and international films across the city’s cinemas each April, with industry panels and some outdoor screenings. It is a regional event rather than a Shanghai-scale festival, so it rarely disrupts hotel prices. April is also a good weather window, as the best time to visit Ningbo calendar explains.
Ningbo Dragon Boat Festival (May or June)
The Dragon Boat Festival falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, usually late May or June, and brings dragon boat races to the city’s rivers and lakes. Teams paddle long boats to the beat of drums, and vendors sell zongzi, sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves. The weather at this time is humid and often rainy, so dress accordingly.
Ningbo Xiangshan Seafood Festival (September)
After the summer fishing moratorium lifts around September 16, the coastal county of Xiangshan, about 1.5 hours south of Ningbo, opens its seafood festival to mark the fleet’s return. Restaurants across the region roll out autumn menus built on hairy crab, yellow croaker, and fresh Zhoushan shrimp, and the Xiangshan Film and Television City adds seasonal events. Combine it with the food stops in our things to do in Ningbo list and a night in one of the where to stay in Ningbo districts.
Ningbo Mid-Autumn Festival (September or October)
Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, usually September or early October, and celebrates the full moon. Locals gather at Moon Lake Park and Tianyi Square for evening strolls and lantern displays, and bakeries stock up on mooncakes. It often overlaps the National Day Golden Week, when crowds and prices peak, so book ahead and use the Ningbo neighborhoods guide to choose a quiet base. For transport and payment practicalities, see the Ningbo travel tips page.
