Chongqing Drone Light Show 2026: Schedule and Where to Watch
Next Chongqing Drone Light Show:
Free to watch, no reservation required
Upcoming show dates
The Chongqing Drone Light Show is usually held every Saturday at 8:30 PM, with additional shows sometimes scheduled during public holidays. The show is free to watch, and no reservation is required. The schedule below is based on the latest official announcements, and I’ll update it promptly if the schedule changes.
|
Date |
Time |
Status |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2026-10-1 |
20:30 |
Completed |
/ |
|
2026-10-2 |
20:30 |
Canceled |
Weather |
|
2026-10-3 |
20:30 |
Canceled |
Weather |
|
2026-10-4 |
20:30 |
Canceled |
Weather |
|
2026-10-5 |
20:30 |
Completed |
/ |
|
2026-10-6 |
20:30 |
Completed |
/ |
|
2026-10-17 |
20:30 |
Completed |
/ |
|
2026-10-24 |
20:30 |
Scheduled |
/ |
|
2026-10-31 |
20:30 |
Scheduled |
/ |
Chongqing Drone Shows I’ve Filmed
October 6, 2026 | Starlit Messages & Chongqing Flavors
October 5, 2026 | Friends Across Mountains and Seas
October 1, 2026 | National Day Celebration
September 26, 2026 | A Mid-Autumn Fantasy
This show featured a Mid-Autumn theme, with imagery including the full moon, the Jade Rabbit, and a starry sky. As with the previous show, the main display was again oriented toward the Chongqing Planning Exhibition Gallery rather than Changjiahui. I’ll keep watching future shows to see if this becomes the regular orientation.
Where to watch the drone show
Ranked by overall viewing experience:
Changjiahui Shopping Park > Danzishi Riverside Promenade (between Danzishi Ferry Terminal and Danzishi Square) > Raffles City Chongqing > Chaotianmen Square > Chongqing Grand Theatre
Changjiahui Shopping Park
Rating:5/5
Location: The observation decks on Levels 4 and 6 of Changjiahui Shopping Park.
Why I recommend it: The decks give you a straight-on view of the drone formations. The elevated decks have wide, open views, with Raffles City and the Yuzhong Peninsula in the background. Overall, this is the best place to watch the show. Arrive too late, however, and crowd-control measures may prevent you from entering the observation decks.
Getting there: Take the Metro Loop Line to Danzishi Station and use Exit 3. From there, it is about a 16-minute walk. If you are taking a taxi or booking a ride, leave one to two hours before the show to allow extra time in case temporary traffic restrictions are in place.
Danzishi Riverside Promenade
Rating：4.5/5
Location: The riverside promenade between Danzishi Ferry Terminal and Danzishi Square.
Why I recommend it：Like the observation decks at Changjiahui, the promenade gives you a straight-on view of the drone formations. However, the promenade is at a lower level, so you will need to keep your head tilted back for quite a while. As a result, the overall viewing experience is not quite as good as from the upper-level decks at Changjiahui.
Getting there: Getting there is the same as for Changjiahui Shopping Park. Once you arrive, continue downhill toward the river. You can also search for “弹子石轮渡码头” (Danzishi Ferry Terminal) or “弹子石广场” (Danzishi Square) in your map app.
Mountain Garden at Raffles City
Rating: 4.5/5
Location: The Mountain Garden on Level 1 of Raffles City.
Why I recommend it: This spot is across the river from Changjiahui. Although this is not the main viewing side for the show, the area is much less crowded and easier to reach.
In the past, text formed by the drones usually appeared backward from here. At some recent shows, however, when text appeared, the same text was displayed twice: once facing Changjiahui and then again facing Chaotianmen, allowing viewers on this side to read it as well.
Getting there：Take Metro Line 1 to Chaotianmen Station. Enter the Chaotianmen Atrium through the entrance between Exits 2 and 3, as shown below.
From there, take the sightseeing elevator to Level 1.
After exiting the elevator, walk uphill along the sloping path to the viewing platform in front of the fountain.
Chaotianmen Square
Rating: 4/5
Location: Directly in front of Raffles City Chongqing.
Why I recommend it: The viewing angle is roughly the same as from the Mountain Garden, but Chaotianmen Square is more crowded and sits lower, so you will also need to keep your head tilted back for quite a while.
Getting there: Take Metro Line 1 to Chaotianmen Station. Follow the route described above for the Mountain Garden to enter the Chaotianmen Atrium. Once inside, walk straight ahead until you reach Gate 8, then exit through it to reach the square.
Chongqing Grand Theatre
Rating: 3.5/5
Location: The side of Chongqing Grand Theatre facing the river.
Why I recommend it: The plaza is spacious, with wide, open views. Most of the drone formations can be seen in full, and Chaotianmen, Raffles City, and Nanbin Road across the river are also visible at night. The main drawback is the viewing angle: the plaza lies off to one side and behind the performance area, so some formations are only partly visible.
Getting there: Take Metro Line 6 to Grand Theatre Station and use Exit 2. From there, it is about a five-minute walk to Chongqing Grand Theatre.
