Hengdian has unveiled an ambitious “City of Events” strategy, laying out plans to develop the city into a hub for a wide range of sports, culture, tourism, and technology events in the coming years.

On March 21, Hengdian held its 2026 Event Launch and Signing Conference, announcing a lineup of 26 newly signed events scheduled to take place in Hengdian. The list includes sporting competitions, as well as computer and AI contests, growing Hengdian’s involvement in both physical and intellectual events.

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2026 Event Launch and Signing Conference

This year, Hengdian will hold the International Youth Artificial Intelligence Competition, the Zhejiang Provincial College Students Artificial Intelligence Competition, the 2026 World Robot Contest Finals, and 18 other university-level competitions. Total participation annually is expected to exceed 200,000 people.

Later this year, Hengdian will also open the China Computer Museum. It will be the only museum of its kind officially authorized by the China Computer Federation and the largest computer museum in the world.

These new additions join 50 other events Hengdian has already introduced, including the Hengdian Marathon, one of the city’s longest standing events. Last year’s race marked ten consecutive editions since 2015, attracting nearly 20,000 participants.

The 2025 race was titled “Run into Movies, Travel through History,” taking a route through multiple historical film sets and touristic attractions. For this reason, Hengdian Marathon is widely regarded as one of China’s most immersive and cinematic marathon routes.

Last year, it also named a “Sports Tourism Boutique Event,” making it one of Zhejiang Province’s four flagship sports-tourism projects.

Hengdian Marathon 2025, titled “Run into Movies, Travel through History”

Hengdian’s service and support system is well equipped for the upcoming transformation. As one of China’s best-known tourism destinations, Hengdian is well connected by expressways, railways and airports, located 45 minutes from Hangzhou by high-speed rail, and just over two hours from Shanghai.

It also offers more than 1,800 hotels, allowing it to host large numbers of athletes, teams, and visitors. It is also a culinary destination in its own right, offering regional specialties and street food from across China.

Hengdian’s development plan combines sport, culture, tourism, technology, and innovation in one destination. Together, these elements will help Hengdian develop a broader and more forward-looking event portfolio, paving its transformation into a true “City of Events.”