Around Town · Sat 10 Oct
Things to do in Shenzhen right now
Festivals, night markets, new openings and exhibitions — no RSVP, just turn up. Checked every morning, with opening hours, crowds and the metro exit.
Exhibitions & pop-ups on now14
On for weeks, so no rush — just opened first. Each one lists its opening nights and talks.
Now onPrehistoric Planet: Dinosaurs — Immersive Experience, ShenzhenBASE Digital Art Center · Nanshan · From ¥58; reduced tickets for children under 1.5 m (with an adult)● Closed for today
Now onPrix Pictet: StormFotografiska Shenzhen · Nanshan · From ¥48 (day pass to all shows)● Closed for today
Now onTOILETPAPER: ToiletFotoPaperGrafiskaFotografiska Shenzhen · Nanshan · From ¥48 (day pass to all shows)● Closed for today
Now onTranscendent Realities: Monumental-Scale PhotographyFotografiska Shenzhen · Nanshan · From ¥48 (day pass to all shows)● Closed for todayThe next two weeks at a glance
Everything that starts or ends in the next fortnight. Weekends shaded; runs go red in their final week.
Anytime: things to do in Shenzhen any day
Quiet week? These are always there — free or cheap, and our favourites for a first month in the city.
Luohu 梧桐山
Hike Wutong Mountain
Shenzhen's highest peak: 4 hours up and down, views to Hong Kong on a clear day.
Go with SZ Trailheads, Sat →
Nanshan 深圳湾公园
Walk or cycle Shenzhen Bay Park
15 km of waterfront, bike hire every kilometre, and the city's best sunset.
Luohu 东门老街
Get lost in old Luohu
Dongmen's alleys, the fabric market and Hong Kong-style cha chaan tengs.
Dapeng 西涌
Beach day at Xichong
The cleanest sand in Shenzhen, 90 minutes out. Go on a weekday.
Futian 深圳博物馆
Shenzhen Museum
How a fishing village became this in 40 years. Free, closed Mondays.
Futian 华强北
Huaqiangbei electronics market
Ten floors of every component ever made. Even non-nerds lose an afternoon.
Futian 莲花山
Sunset from Lianhuashan
A 20-minute climb for the CBD skyline — kite-flyers on the lawn below.
Longgang 大芬油画村
Dafen Oil Painting Village
Where the world's reproduction paintings come from. Commission your own.
☂ Rainy day or typhoon signal?
The indoor plan
- A museum afternoon: MOCAPE or the Shenzhen Museum in Futian
- Fotografiska Shenzhen on the top floor of Shenzhen Bay MixC (open late)
- Huaqiangbei's electronics malls
- MixC Luohu or Shenzhen Bay MixC: both connect straight to the metro
- A long dim sum at any Chaoshan or Cantonese teahouse
Amber signal: still fine by metro. Red or black: stay in — outdoor festivals cancel, and we mark them here.
Just missed it
Shenzhen Peng City vs Henan — Chinese Super LeagueEnded Fri 9 Oct
Futian Civic Center Light Show — Golden Week 2026Ended Wed 7 Oct
Black Pearl Food Market at MixC Shenzhen (Golden Week 2026)Ended Wed 7 OctUpperHills Wine Festival 2026 (Fizzy Bizzy)Ended Sat 3 OctShenzhen Open 2026 (World Snooker Tour ranking event)Ended Sun 4 Oct
Hello APEC Shekou Cultural Market: New Zealand, Australia & PNGEnded Sat 19 SepNext edition Sun 1 Nov · Countries to be announcedBrowse Around Town
Good to know
What's on in Shenzhen this weekend?
Right now: . Most are free and need no booking — the list above updates every morning.
What's new in Shenzhen this month?
have just opened. New openings stay in "Just opened" for six weeks.
Where are the night markets in Shenzhen?
Dongmen (Luohu) runs the big Golden Week night market; Sea World in Shekou has a weekend market through summer; Hello APEC in Shekou is a monthly cultural market.
What are the best free things to do in Shenzhen?
Hiking Wutong Mountain, cycling Shenzhen Bay Park, sunset from Lianhuashan, the Shenzhen Museum, and almost every festival and lantern fair on this page.
What can I do in Shenzhen when it rains or there's a typhoon?
Go indoors and metro-connected: A museum afternoon: MOCAPE or the Shenzhen Museum in Futian, Fotografiska Shenzhen on the top floor of Shenzhen Bay MixC (open late), Huaqiangbei's electronics malls. On a black or red rainstorm signal, stay home — most events are cancelled.
When is Golden Week 2026?
1–7 October 2026, the National Day holiday. Museums stay open; banks and government offices close; trains and the HK border are very busy on the first and last days.
Opening something in Shenzhen?
Festivals, markets, pop-ups and new places: list it free. We'll give it a "Just opened" badge for six weeks.