Checkered Flag Carnival at the Chinese Grand Prix

The Checkered Flag Carnival is returning for another year of fun leading up to the Chinese Grand Prix. Home to Zhou Guanyu, this Shanghai-based festival is sure to have something for every fan! With different immersive activities, live performances, guest appearances, and even a pet-friendly themed day, this carnival is going to be one you won’t want to miss!

Checkered Flag Carnival 2025

When: Sunday, March 16th to Sunday, March 23rd, 2025

Where: North Bund International Passenger Center Cruise Terminal and the Shanghai International Circuit

Cost: FREE

What to expect:

March 16th (11:45AM - 2:30PM)

• Live broadcast of the F1 Australian Grand Prix

March 18th (2PM - 2:30PM)

• Zhou Guanyu Meet the Fans Event

March 20th (11AM - 3PM)

• Pet Theme Day (Pet-friendly hours)

Event Details

The Checkered Flag Festival was introduced to the Chinese Grand Prix for the first time in 2024. DJ Martin Garrix took to the stage and the event was a major success with tickets selling out rapidly.

In 2025, the Checkered Flag Festival will be held from March 16th to March 23rd at the North Bund International Passenger Center Cruise Terminal and the Shanghai International Circuit. This free fan event will run for eight days long, allowing fans to immerse themselves in the excitement of the race weekend. Attendees can expect a 600 meter-long Formula 1 themed walkway along the riverside. Since this event is taking place during the first race of the Formula 1 season, the Australian Grand Prix, fans will have the chance to watch live broadcasts of the race to ensure they stay tuned into all the excitement going on in Melbourne.

The event is in partnership with HANSWERKS and they will be presenting a special exhibition: Tribute to the F1 Chinese Grand Prix. Fans will be able to check out an exclusive car exhibit here at the North Bund. The exhibition will showcase different eras of Formula 1 cars from teams such as McLaren, Aston Martin, Ferrari, and more. Besides the F1 cars, fans can also expect to see famous cars from certain popular culture moments in Shanghai’s history.

In honor of Zhou Guanyu, this event has partnered with the Shanghai-born driver to present a cartoon installation at the North Bund that is titled Zhou’s Adorable Daily Life. This exhibit is meant to showcase Zhou’s bubbly and creative personality that isn’t always seen on or off the track. Zhou will be attending the festival on MARCH 18th! He will be available for a fan meet up where he’ll do a Q&A session and share some of his experiences from his Formula 1 career.

Race fans can also expect to see live music performances over the course of the event. The ‘dual-scene’ stage will play host to a variety of outdoor music parties, with genres ranging from rock to house music to pop. There will also be a variety of merchandise stands for avid race fans to purchase gear to be able to support their favorite teams or drivers!

The carnival will also have an interactive experience for all attendees. This experience is called the Anywhere Door and will allow racing fans to immerse themselves in the excitement of the weekend by playing around with the interactive displays, allowing them to share their love of racing with each other.

On March 20th, all pet lovers will be able to bring their furry friends to the carnival! The Checkered Flag carnival will be teaming up with the Asia Pet Show to host its very own pet-friendly theme day. All pet lovers and owners are welcome to bring their pets to participate in Formula 1 themed activities.

This carnival is filled with fun for people of all ages! There are countless activities, events and performances and more to keep fans busy the week leading up to the Chinese Grand Prix. 

Looking for more on the Chinese Grand Prix?

If you’re attending the Chinese GP now or in the future, we highly recommend checking out our other articles to make sure you plan your trip accordingly and don't miss out on all the activities and events happening throughout the race weekend!

When you’re finished, jump into the Grand Prix Travel community on FanAmp and Reddit to ask questions and connect with other avid F1 fans.