Int'l beer festival opens in Qingdao

The 31st Qingdao International Beer Festival, one of the largest beer festivals in China, opened on Friday evening in the coastal city of Qingdao, East China's Shandong province.

The 24-day carnival has gathered more than 1,600 beers from over 40 countries and regions, according to the tourism commission of the Xihai'an (West Coast) New Area, where the festival is taking place.

There will be over 400 activities covering international exchanges, economic and trade exhibitions, fashion shows, parades and performances during the festival. Nine tents and 32 cabins have been set up to provide beer and food for visitors, according to the organizer.

This year, the beer festival has asked attendees to wear masks and display their health codes when entering the venue to prevent potential COVID-19 outbreaks.

Qingdao is home to the Tsingtao Brewery, the base of a time-honored beer brand in China. Its international beer festival is an annual event.