When traditional intangible heritage crafts meet AI-powered experiences, and lawn music events blend with creative markets, Haidian's summer is being redefined. More than just a "hub of technological innovation", the district is unfolding into an immersive "trendy life" map full of fun, feeling and engagement.
On May 16, the Beijing Haidian branch event of the 2026 "China Tourism Day" — themed "Alluring Tides, Magnificent Landscapes" (潮有引力万象山海 —kicked off at Zhongguancun No.1. The 2026 Haidian Summer Recreation Activity Map was officially released the same day, with nearly 60 events set to roll out from June to September. According to officials from the Haidian District Bureau of Culture and Tourism, this is far more than just a "map": it is a "city invitation letter" written in a fresh, youthful voice.
Four Thematic Threads Intertwine
Flipping through the map feels like exploring a heatmap of the city's pulse, lighting up tech parks, commercial plazas, lakeside parks and old alleyways alike.
Officials from the bureau explained that this year's summer activities revolve around four interconnected themes: tech empowerment, the night-time economy, eco-friendly leisure, and national-style intangible heritage. These are not simply added together, but deeply integrated. For instance, at the "North District Live" open mic nights at Zhongguancun No.1, programmers, product managers and algorithm engineers from the park can code by day and play guitar on stage at night.
The tech elements do not stop there. Running concurrently at the Three Hills and Five Gardens Cultural and Art Center, the 2026 Asian Digital Art Exhibition, themed "Humans Have Their Uses", features over 20 works of AI-generated art, brain-computer interaction and MR roaming from six countries and regions. Visitors wearing headsets can "travel through" to heritage sites along the Grand Canal or take AI-powered travel photos in holographic pods. The exhibition runs through August 16, spanning the entire summer season. The bureau noted that the art show complements the outdoor summer activities, offering a perfect balance of "indoor + outdoor" and "contemplation + celebration".
The night-time economy is the most eye-catching section of the map. A key highlight is Huaxi LIVE · Wukesong, where the Urban Life Carnival will host World Cup-themed pop-up stores, summer carnivals (including food markets, family sports meets and pet adoption drives), and children's talent shows throughout the season.
Another night-time highlight unfolds at Weigong Fanghuali. During the graduation season in June, youth markets and graduation concerts let young people "freeze their memories" there. From July to August, the Food Carnival pairs live music with trendy toy markets. Ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival in September, traditional Chinese handicraft workshops and moon-gazing concerts take over. According to the event operator, the goal is to create an immersive scene that blends "food, leisure and socializing".
Ecology and culture form the rich backdrop of Haidian's summer. The 31st Lotus Festival at the Old Summer Palace runs from late June to late August, transforming the historic garden into an aesthetic education classroom with intangible heritage workshops, immersive performances, lectures and sketch photography contests. Cuihu National Urban Wetland Park is opening its night tours for the first time, with light installations winding along the boardwalks. Beijing Xishan National Forest Park is hosting a hiking festival combining outdoor fitness, stargazing camping and forest concerts.
The national-style markets are the most Instagrammable part of the map. The 3rd Nalan Gathering in Shangzhuang Town, themed around the Qing Dynasty poet Nalan Xingde, features Chinese-style cultural and creative markets and "Poetic Rhymes & Elegant Attire" clothing experiences. At Fenghuangling Scenic Area, visitors who wear Hanfu or recite ancient poems get free admission during the Dragon Boat Festival. At Brickkiln Lane Public Cultural and Art Complex, retro industrial vibes take center stage with free outdoor movie screenings every Friday — a perfect spot for young people to check in with picnic mats and craft beer in hand.
Over 50 Booths Offer a "Sneak Peek" of Summer Fun
At the May 16 launch event, more than 50 tech and cultural tourism market booths were divided into three zones: "AI Adventure Zone", "Eastern Aesthetics Lane" and "Urban Charm Corner". Visitors shook hands with humanoid robots identical to the marathon champion robot and tried their hand at intangible heritage crafts like gold-inlaid jade, paper-cutting and calico printing.
Zhu Xue, Head of the Publicity and Activities Division of the Haidian District Bureau of Culture and Tourism, said: "The summer activities bring together parks, museums, libraries, activity centers, commercial performances and shopping districts to host cultural, tourism, sports and exhibition events from June to September. The goal is to let residents get a taste of the summer vibe before May 19, forming a seamless chain of 'festival-driven traffic → event engagement → consumption conversion'."
In the past, people came to Haidian to visit universities, stroll in parks and photograph historic buildings. Today, technology has become the new "storyteller". The long-term vision is to build a new type of cultural and tourism space "shared by residents and visitors". This means Haidian is not just designing check-in spots for tourists, but creating everyday joy for locals. Streets, parks, business districts and industrial parks will all become "theaters" and "exhibition halls without walls". As one staff member involved in the map's planning put it: "What we're trying to do now is turn the city itself into an exhibition that never ends."
Some marvel at projections at the digital art exhibition, some row boats in the evening breeze at the lotus festival, and some sing their own songs on the open mic stage in the tech park. This hub of innovation is proving that technology and poetry have never been mutually exclusive.
