Wuxi is preparing a Mid-Autumn Festival season of lantern displays, fireworks, food stalls and live performances. Three major events will light up Plum Garden, Huishan Ancient Town and Yixing's Yangxian Xishan, giving residents and visitors a new way to enjoy the city after dark.

Plum Garden (梅园): A mythical night

File photo: Lantern show at Plum Garden. [Photo/WeChat account: wuxishilvyouju]

The 2026 Plum Garden Golden Autumn Lantern Festival will take place under the theme "A Wonderland of Mountains and Seas: Plum Garden Awakens at Night".

The event will bring the ancient Classic of Mountains and Seas into a Jiangnan garden setting. Highlights include more than 20 themed lantern displays, a fireworks and flame show, live lantern-puppet parades, heritage acrobatics inspired by the classic, flying palace-lantern performances and limited-run starlight concerts.

Huishan Ancient Town (惠山古镇): Theater in the garden

File photo: Lantern Festival program at Huishan Ancient Town. [Photo/WeChat account: wuxishilvyouju]

The 2026 Huishan Ancient Town autumn program will run on Sept 25 and 26, and from Sept 30 to Oct 6.

Set against the 500-year history of Jichang Garden, the event combines the garden's traditional elegance with a relaxed, immersive experience. From Xiuzhang Road to Yingshan Lake, the route will feature lanterns, performances and scenic views.

Yangxian Xishan Town (阳羡溪山小镇): A month of lanterns

Yangxian Xishan Town in Yixing. [Photo/WeChat account: wuxishilvyouju]

The 2026 Yixing Yangxian Xishan Golden Autumn Lantern Festival will run from Sept 25 to Oct 31 at Yangxian Xishan Town.

Running under the banner "Peace, Safety and Blessings", the event pairs a century-old Jiangnan garden with ancient mythology and heritage lanterns. The display echoes the sentiment: "Where the heart is at peace, there is home."