By the seaside and under clear skies, the Aranya community in Qinhuangdao, Hebei province, has been a popular retreat since its founding, with a library, a community hall and an art museum, all featuring minimalistic architectural styles and restrained aesthetics, aligned on a strip of beach.

Yet since 2021, with the inaugural Aranya Theater Festival, for around ten days each summer, the tranquil seaside town takes on a striking new look. The streets are dotted by dramatic installations and floats, avant-garde theater productions come from around the world, and diverse novel experiences are on offer to its visitors.

This year, the parade brought together 14 futuristic floats presenting artists' works, performers of different genres, and countless visitors who joined in the celebration. As the procession reached its destination, a gigantic bonfire installation inspired by Indian literary giant Tagore's Stray Birds was set alight, with the crowd singing along to the background songs.