[Photo via Beijing Daily]

The 2025 Beijing Chaoyang International Light Festival kicked off on October 11 and will run until the end of October.

[Photo via Beijing Daily]

This year's festival has a pair of "core areas", the Liangma River Cultural and Economic Belt and the Beijing Olympic Center. It then extends to six other areas — including the Chaoyang sections of the Third Ring Road (now expanded to include both the South and North Third Ring), Wangjing Business District, Sanlitun Commercial Area, CBD, Chaowai UIC Block, and Gaobeidian Area — linking multiple business districts and creating immersive artistic scenes throughout. 

[Photos via Beijing Daily]

In total, 53 themed installations have been set up across the two core zones, featuring dazzling light displays on water surfaces, riverbanks, ground spaces, and building facades, together producing a stunning nightscape of a "Chaoyang that never sleeps".

[Photos via Beijing Fabu]

The main venue along the Liangma River Cultural and Economic Belt, themed "brilliance of the galaxy" (盛耀星河), features a series of high-profile premieres and performances along theLiangma River and in Chaoyang Park. Spectators can watch world-class performances such as Swan Lake and the Floating Diva (漂浮歌后) Water Show, as well as traditional Chinese opera like Kunqu — all free of charge in public spaces.

[Photo via Beijing Fabu]

Beijing Olympic Center, with its theme of "resounding glory" (荣耀共振), transforms the Olympic Tower into a 360° light installation. This theme is continued to the mountain show at Olympic Forest Park, the water show at Aohai Lake, and the axis show at the southern square of the park's central axis extension — offering a visually stunning artistic experience for locals and tourists alike.

[Photo via Beijing Daily]

The concept of "light plus" runs through the entire festival, integrating art, music, food, and sports experiences across Chaoyang District. Throughout the event, around 500 activities will be going on, including the Run & Eat International Carbohydrate Festival at Beijing Olympic Park, Shell Theatre's "Chasing Light Concert", the Liangma River Weekend Boat Concerts, Chaoyang Park North Lake Art Season, Kidu-Mart Beijing Bread Festival, and Coffee Healing Parties, among others.

[Photo via Beijing Fabu]

What are you waiting for? Call your buddies and go out and admire the dazzling lights together!

(Sources: Beijing Fabu, Beijing Daily)