Bigger lantern festival at Yuyuan

THE annual lantern festival in Yuyuan Garden will shine brighter than ever and cover a much larger area during next year's Spring Festival.

Lanterns will festoon nearby streets such as Lishui Road, Fuyou Road and Shanghai Old Street, which are the main gift markets in the area, officials said yesterday.

The news of a larger coverage has delighted street traders, who said they are preparing to stock more goods to cater to the masses of tourists.

Previously the lantern festival covered less than half a square kilometer, forcing the garden to sell tickets to limit the crowds of visitors.

"We believe selling tickets is not the best method, and more tourists can enjoy the festival if the area is expanded," said Hai Desheng, deputy director of the Huangpu Tourism Administrative Bureau.

Larger lanterns displaying scenes from ancient Chinese myths will also be displayed next year.

"But the larger lanterns need wider streets, so we still need discussion with garden authorities on the matter," said Hai.

"The expansion is also expected to draw many more tourists, which will lead to traffic problems," he added.