Chongqing drone light show draws holiday crowds over river junction
In short
Chongqing staged a National Day performance of its “New Charm Chongqing” drone light show, with 5,000 drones flying over the junction of the city's two rivers from 20:30, China News Service reported. The show, launched in April 2025, has been staged nearly 120 times and drawn more than 12.5 million on-site viewers. City officials and riverside businesses describe it as a driver of holiday tourism and spending.
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Chongqing staged a National Day performance of the “New Charm Chongqing” drone light show at the junction of the city's two rivers, with 5,000 drones lifting off over the water, China News Service reported. The performance began at 20:30, it said, as residents and visitors gathered along the riverbanks. [ 2 ]
The show debuted in April 2025 and runs on weekends and public holidays. China News Service said it has been staged nearly 120 times and has attracted more than 12.5 million on-site viewers, and that images of camellia flowers, hotpot, stilted houses, Hongya Cave, the Yangtze River cableway and Chuanjiang work songs have appeared in the sky above the city. [ 2 ]
Lyu Xi, dean of the design school at the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute and one of the show's creators, said Chongqing's mountains, rivers, bridges and buildings form a three-dimensional city whose layered contours and water-and-mountain outlines the drone display extends into the night sky. Chief director Zhang Yangxue said the team worked with institutions including the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute for nearly two months on the National Day program, using themes such as “Celebrate National Day”, “Aerial Museum” and “City on a Dinosaur's Backbone”, according to China News Service. [ 2 ]
Officials and businesses described the show as a draw for tourism and spending. Zhuang Ningyu, party secretary of the culture and tourism development committee of Nan'an district, where the show's “main stage” is located, said the district is building a “drone plus” cultural tourism consumption model alongside folk and intangible-heritage events, riverside night tours, performances and sports activities. Zhang Tao, manager of a hotpot restaurant on Nanbin Road, said the restaurant's 40 tables turned over at least three times on peak nights during the holiday, that window seats were the most in demand and that private rooms were booked three to seven days in advance, with some foreign customers among the bookings. [ 2 ]
Xinhua published a report carrying the same title a day before the China News Service feature. Its summary carried no article text, so no further details from that report are available. [ 1 ]
Why it matters
The documents present the drone show as a cultural-tourism attraction that turns riverbank crowds into restaurant and night-tour spending, with the Nan'an district tourism authority saying it is building a “drone plus” consumption model. No figures are given for the cost of the show or for attendance across the holiday period, so its wider economic effect is not quantified in the coverage.
Key facts
- Chongqing staged a National Day performance of the “New Charm Chongqing” drone light show, which began at 20:30. [ 2 ]
- Five thousand drones took part in the display. [ 2 ]
- The show debuted in April 2025 and runs on weekends and public holidays; it has been staged nearly 120 times, with more than 12.5 million on-site viewers, according to China News Service. [ 2 ]
- Symbols including camellia flowers, hotpot, stilted houses, Hongya Cave, the Yangtze River cableway and Chuanjiang work songs have featured in the displays. [ 2 ]
- Chief director Zhang Yangxue said the team prepared the National Day program with universities including the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute for nearly two months. [ 2 ]
- Lyu Xi of the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, one of the creators, said the show extends the city's layered topography and architecture into the night sky. [ 2 ]
- A hotpot restaurant manager on Nanbin Road said its 40 tables turned over at least three times on peak nights during the holiday. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Chongqing staged a National Day performance of the “New Charm Chongqing” drone light show. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The performance began at 20:30. [ 2 ]
- Five thousand drones took part in the National Day display. [ 2 ]
- The show has run on weekends and holidays since its April 2025 debut, with nearly 120 performances and more than 12.5 million on-site viewers. [ 2 ]
Still unclear
- How many performances the show will stage during the National Day holiday, and total attendance for the holiday period. The documents give cumulative figures for the show since April 2025 but no holiday-period numbers.
- What Xinhua's report contained beyond its headline. Only the outlet's feed title was available for document 1, with no article text.
- The cost of staging the show and how it is funded. Neither document states this.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- The “New Charm Chongqing” drone light show National Day performance begins at the junction of the city's two rivers. [ 2 ]
- Xinhua publishes a report under the headline “Aerial street market reflects the mountain city”. [ 1 ]
- China News Service publishes its feature on the National Day performance. [ 2 ]