Jinan launches rural culture, tourism festival

Spring Festival is the most important traditional festival in China. To celebrate the upcoming Year of the Dragon, the 2024 Jinan Rural Cultural Tourism Festival commenced on Jan 18, coinciding with the Laba Festival, celebrated on the eighth day of the 12th Chinese lunar month.

Jinan launches a total of 569 activities to promote its rural folk culture during the event. These activities include experiencing folk customs, capturing the essence of Spring Festival, enjoying local operas, exploring exhibitions and book fairs, and savoring local delicacies amidst picturesque scenery. The event will continue until March 11, the second day of the second Chinese lunar month.

This series of culturally rich and diverse tourism activities and products will offer a worthwhile cultural and tourism experience for people from all over the country.

In addition, the city's culture and tourism bureau, has partnered with online platforms such as Ctrip and Meituan, to introduce several winter tourism routes. Collaborating with platforms like Douyin and Xiaohongshu, they have curated popular topics related to Spring Festival. By releasing engaging short videos and informative tour guidelines, they aim to energize the cultural tourism market, allowing people to enjoy the integration of culture and tourism in a joyful and harmonious festive atmosphere.

As a city with a long history and deep cultural heritage, Jinan boasts a wealth of diverse folk culture and arts. Various cultural and artistic folk performances are held during the Spring Festival and Lantern Festival holiday every year, creating a festive and lively atmosphere.

During this year's Spring Festival, the city's cultural and tourism system will mobilize the masses to actively participate in traditional cultural activities such as yangko dancing, dry-land boat rowing, drumming, stilt walking, lion and dragon dances, and traditional opera performances to enhance the traditional festive atmosphere in both urban and rural areas.

An intangible cultural heritage-themed bazaar in Licheng district, the "Stepping on Inch" activity in Taiping subdistrict, Jinan Start-up Area for Growth Drivers Transformation, and folk performances by the stilts team from the southern mountainous areas of Zhonggong subdistrict will also be held during the Lantern Festival holiday.