An aerial view of the sand sculptures in Nansha scenic area. [Photo/WeChat account: zsqdly]

The opening ceremony for the 2026 Zhoushan International Sand Sculpture Festival will be held from May 15 to 16 at Nansha scenic area in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, bringing together art, music, fashion, and cultural performances.

Visitors can enjoy all festival activities with a single 70-yuan ($10.30) admission ticket to the scenic area.

The event, themed "Galloping Horses on Golden Sands," features around 50 large-scale horse-inspired sand sculptures that symbolize wishes for success, vitality, and good fortune in the Year of the Horse.

The Donghai Music Camp will add to the festive atmosphere, with singers and performers from the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region combining grassland musical traditions with the romance of Zhoushan's coastal scenery.

AI-themed performances and interactive digital showcases will merge technology and tourism to create a futuristic beach experience, while fashion elements will include international models appearing in seaside runway shows.

Visitors can also enjoy a traditional datiehua (molten iron fireworks) performance, an intangible cultural heritage folk art in which molten iron is thrown into the air, creating dazzling showers of sparks.