2025 Yangtze River Cultural Festival opens in Zhangjiagang with the premiere of an original small-theatre production An Invitation. [Photo/WeChat account: zhangjiagangfabu365]
The opening ceremony of the 2025 Yangtze River Cultural Festival was held at the Zhangjiagang Poly Grand Theatre on Oct 24, marking the start of one of the most anticipated cultural events along the Yangtze River.
The ceremony began with the premiere of An Invitation, an original small-theatre production created in Zhangjiagang. As the first museum-themed drama of its kind along the Yangtze River Basin, the play tells the story of a museum that receives an invitation to participate in the "Yangtze River Cultural Relics Exhibition". Through nine artifacts unearthed in Zhangjiagang, the performance explores the dialogue between humanity and civilization across millennia.
This year's festival will be divided into five major sections — Yangtze River relics, Yangtze River heritage, Yangtze River arts, Walking Yangtze, and Open Yangtze — with activities including exhibitions, a cultural fair, the stage play An Invitation, cycling tours along the Yangtze, cultural dialogues, the "Hi, Yangtze River!" inbound tourism month, the 2025 Yangtze Delta Friendship City Tennis Tournament, and stage performances.
Over the past 22 years, the Yangtze River Cultural Festival has become a cultural hallmark of Zhangjiagang. Working with 13 provinces and regions along the river and over 200 institutions, the city has hosted more than 180 events, engaging over 500 million participants both online and offline.