Chengdu straw art event features over 100 giant installations

With the National Day holiday approaching, a straw art attraction featuring over 100 giant installations is now underway in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province.

The installations, 30 of which stand over 5 meters tall, are arranged across several themed zones, from animal figures and cartoon characters to pumpkins and other farm produce, said the organizers.

A roughly 6-meter-tall colorful straw castle stands at the center of the lawn in the "Fantasy Animal Kingdom" zone, surrounded by more than 60 straw sculptures of lions, zebras, giraffes, crocodiles, jellyfish, and other animals. The sculptures have become popular photo spots.

Nearby, in the "Pumpkin Harvest" zone, creative installations of a Tyrannosaurus rex, triceratops, pterosaur, and other prehistoric creatures line up, their outlines shaped from real pumpkins.

Other attractions include a chrysanthemum garden, a large straw maze, and about a dozen interactive games ranging from pumpkin bowling and strawhat basketball to fishing and corn-shucking contests.

"We came last year, and my daughter loved it so much," said a visitor surnamed Wang from downtown Chengdu. "We are pleasantly surprised to find even more installations this year."

The event runs through Oct 18 at the Chengdu World Horticultural Expo Park in the city's Eastern New Area.