Special events organized by Beijing's municipal parks and the Museum of Chinese Gardens and Landscape Architecture are in store as the Dragon Boat Festival approaches. Get ready for this year's celebration with the following offerings!

Summer Palace

Educational courses about mugwort and  activities for making mugwort sachets have been launched at Ruyizhuang, south of Yishou Hall on June 8 and will be available until June 10. In addition, crossword puzzles featuring Chinese poems will be available on Nanhu Island, enabling participants to better comprehend well-known literary works associated with this traditional festival. 

Temple of Heaven (Tiantan Park)

A festival-themed fair  is underway at the plaza in front of Minyuan Restaurant and will run until June 10. Various exclusive products will be on display and for sale. On June 10, intangible cultural heritage inheritors will introduce several intangible cultural heritage items, including the techniques of making zongzi (glutinous rice dumplings) and knotting rope. Visitors can also join in DIY activities on site.

Beihai Park

The culture and intangible cultural heritage of the Grand Canal, a UNESCO world heritage site, are highlighted at a fair  from June 6 to 10. From June 8 to 10 at Yuxiuyuan Store, visitors can make lacquer fans, artworks of rubbing (a technique involving pictures printed from engraved or etched plates), and traditional Chinese paintings for fan surfaces.

Zhongshan Park

The park's orchid exhibition and indoor floral display opened to visitors on June 7 and will last until late June. On June 10, from 9:00 to 10:00, visitors can participate in DIY activities, including making lacquer fans and colorful postcards to the west of the Sun Yat-sen statue at the south gate.

China National Botanical Garden (North Garden)

On June 10, visitors can learn about festive customs and plants and make zongzi at the activity classroom of the Popular Science Exhibition Hall and create lotus-patterned cloisonné enamel plates at Chinese Solar Terms-Based Life House. 

Yuyuantan Park

On June 10, zongzi making, land dragon boat race, and other exciting activities will be held at Kepu Square. Costume dramas are staged from June 8 to 10 on the south bank of the Cherry Blossom Lake.

(Source: Beijing Municipal Administration Center of Parks)