Festivals in Hangzhou

Spring

Hangzhou Lantern Festival
Time: The fifteenth  night of the first lunar month
Venue: Wuling Square, He Fang Street, the West Lake banks etc.

Intro
The Lantern Festival is known as to mark the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations. It is considered to be a very auspicious occasion for the people and the celebrations are done on a huge scale. Men, women and children are dresses gaily and throng the streets to witness the different types of lantern.

The interesting facts of Hangzhou Lantern Festival is that a lantern show is usually held showcasing the finest and most ornamental lanterns. You will be surprised to find out what a huge gathering there is to see the show. The locals hardly sleep at night, in case they miss out any aspect of the festival. Try to be a part of the crowd witnessing an opera. Some villages have theatrical troupes performing on the occasion of the Lantern Festival. This is known as “Going in for the Lantern Festival”.

Spring Festival Temple Fair in Song Dynasty Town 
Add:Song Dynasty Town
Time：From the 1st day to the 15th day of the first lunar month.   

Intro
During the Spring Festival Temple Fair in Song Town, tourists can enjoy being with "Song Emperors", praying for blessings and worshipping the gods while wishing for the prosperous future. It is an intersting experience to learn about 1000-year-old Song culture.


Wushan Temple Fair     
Time:January 6-January 15
Venue:Wu Hill scenic area

Intro

As an important part of the 9th Westlake Expo, 2007 Wushan temple fair was held on October 21, 2007 in Wushan square. For 9 days, the temple fair presented series of folk-custom activities such as the 10,000 lovers' tryst , the pictorial exhibition on history of long-established enterprises , Wushan flower fair , the local snack carnival etc.. The temple fair reminded tourists of their childhood and enable them to feel the flavor of Hangzhou to the core.

In the pictorial exhibition on history of long-established enterprises, historical pictures of HuJinYuTang , Wanlong ham firm , FangHuiChunTang etc. made first appearance to public . As for the local snack carnival, 23 exhibition booths with various kinds of snacks greatly impressed visitors.


Dragon Well Tea Festival
Time: From April8 to May 8
Venue: Dragon Well Village (Longjing Cun)

Intro
The annual Dragon Well Tea Festival, hosted by Dragon Well Village, attracts people from everywhere to take part in activities such as picking tea, drinking tea, enjoying a tea ceremony, and walking in the countryside.

Hangzhou Silk Cultural Festival
Time: In each year but not has a certain time
Venue: Hangzhou

Intro
Hangzhou Silk Cultural Festival aka Hangzhou International Silk Tourism Cultural Festival. The festival has several participants ranging from the Hangzhou Municipal Government to China National Academy of Fine Arts. The main attractiveness of this festival is that the garments which are showcased are all an elaborate study on Hangzhou silk, Hangzhou embroidery, Hangzhou jet weaving Hangzhou color spray and Hangzhou printing and dyeing.


Summer

Tangxi Loquat Festival
Time: Late May to late June    
Venue: Tangxi Township
 
Intro
The loquat festival is held in Tangxi Township, historically know for its loquat. This annual event takes place from late May to late June, attracting countless tourists. The local government-sponaored festival is available both in the scenic area and at farmers' houses.


International Cartoon & Animation Festival     
Time: June
Venue:Peace International Exhibition Center
Sponsor:The State Administration of Radio Film and Television  

Intro
Subsidized by the Chinese government, the festival is intended to establish Hangzhou as the comics and animation capital of China. Many comics and animation companies are already based in Hangzhou. Zhejiang province has many different kinds of factories and production facilities. They can produce a lot of comics and cartoons—and all the merchandise related to it.
 
While government-sponsored comics may sound a bit strange, comics and cartoons are a part of China's cultural industry. The exhibition hall where the festival is taking place has four wings—one for industry, another for career development, a third for exhibiting illustrations by popular artists from within China as well as outside. And there's a dealer's room, where attendees can buy merchandise related to their favorite comics and cartoons.


Xiaoshan Du’s Red Bayberry Festival        
Time: Mid June
Venue:Xiaoshan

Intro
In the middle of June each year, there is a Red Bayberry Festival in Suoqian Town of Xiaoshan. As early as 1700 years ago, local people began to grow red bayberry. It used to be the tribute to the emperor. Since 1999, Du’s village has held the festival in June to entertain visitors. Transportation

International Dragon Boat Invitation Tournament     
Time: Around lunar May 5
Venue: Xi'xi

Intro
The dragon boat custom can date back to Sprig and Autumn Period. This activity climaxed during late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty. In Xixi, suburb of Hangzhou, almost every village has dragon boats. And they will have the so-called dragon boat tournament in the festival.

West Lake Lotus Festival
Time: From July to August
Venue: Qu Yuan Feng He (a scenic spot of the West Lake area)

Intro
The main activities of this festival include viewing the beautiful lotus, picking lotus seed pods, shelling lotus seed, watching folk drama performances, and visiting the lotus exhibition.


Fall

West Lake Osmanthus Festival Hangzhou
Time: In September each year
Venue: Manjueling Village

Intro
The West Lake Osmanthus Festival is held in September each year.The main attraction of the festival is the sweet osmanthus rain. This is held in Manjueling Village where the main festival is held. On both sides of the road, more than seven thousand osmanthus trees are planted and you will find some very colorful tents on both sides of the road during the festival. Here you can have tea and enjoy osmanthus. The very interesting part of the festival is that it is a combination of osmanthus culture and tea culture of China. The opening of the festival sees dragon well tea courtesy performance. Tea courtesy performances are of six major regional styles. The festival lasts for a month.


West Lake International Firework Show     
Time:Mid October
Venue:West Lake
Sponsor: Hangzhou People's Government
 
Intro
The Chinese and foreign fireworks are played together with reflection from WestLake, causing amazement from the audience. Transportation

Xiling Seal-Engraver’s Society International Art Festival      

Time:October 22-29
Venue: Xiling Seal & Engraver Society Press
Sponsor:Xiling Seal & Engraver Society Press; Committee of Xiling Seal & Engraver Society

Intro
Holding this high level international art festival, the organizer aims at promoting seal culture through large scale sorting and exhibition, and displaying the long lasting charm of China’s excellent traditional culture to the world.

 
Beast Carnival     
Time：Oct.1 - Oct. 7   
Venue:Hangzhou Wild Animal World
Sponsor:Hangzhou Safri Park  

Intro
The event includes the following activities：a theme show, animal parade, music beer festival, baby animal show and other performances.  Transportation
Bus：514


Hangzhou International Food Festival
Time：October
Venue:Dragon Sports Center
Sponsor: Hangzhou People's Goververnment, China Hotel Association,International Hotel and Restaurant Association,Hangzhou Municipal Trade Bureau
 
Intro
Hangzhou International Food Festival is literally a spread. The cuisine obviously is from both China and other countries and regions, you will get to sample some of the rarest Chinese delicacies which are prepared specially for the festival. Another very enticing bit of news is that there are lots and lots of beer and exotic wines as an accompaniment to the delicious food. The festival is not only about gorging on the delicacies, you can participate in the series of activities regarding the food which appears finally on the table. The engrossing food week has a new dish competition in which all who are interested can participate.  During the Festival, there are five big meals to gorge on by the Hangzhou residents and one of the happy and fun filled activities is selecting the best cookbook. Certain cultural shows are also held to make the festival more interesting. Transportation
 

Westlake Expo   
Time:The middle ten days of October every year
Venue:Hangzhou City

Intro
West Lake Expo starts since 1929, known as a famous international expo along with the“ Chicago Expo 1893” ,the “Paris Expo 1900” and  the“Philadelphia Expo 1927”. Hangzhou has hosted the West Lake Expo annually since 2000. It is always highly anticipated by tourists as well as the public. Till now, it is continuously hosted three times.
In 2003, more than 40 activities were held including exhibitions, trade activities, forums, performance etc. The most popular activities are the West Lake International Fireworks Festival, the West Lake Revelry Festival, and the Opening Ceremony Performance.


Thousand-Islet-Lake Water Show
Time:Sep.22
Venue:Thousand Isle Lake

Intro
The water show consists of activity show, charm show and potential show, involving yacht exhibition, folk art month, contest for Olympics ambassador, cooking contest and other events.  Transportation
 

China international Qiantang River Bore Festival
Time:Lunar August 17 to August 19
Venue:Yanguan Town, Haining
 
Intro
"China international Qiantang River Bore Festival" is one of the largest tourist oriented festivals in China. During the festival, visitors are mainly organized to appreciate the one of the wonders of the world, the Qiantang "Bore". A bore is a unique natural phenomenon triggered by the pull of the moon, producing a wave so large that it travels upstream within the banks of the nearest river. Sacrifices are made to the bore and all activities of the festival are generally devoted to this great spectacle.

Transport
Take bus at Hangzhou West Bus Station to Haining County


China Xin’anjiang Tourism Festival
 Time：Mid October
Venue:Jiande  
 
Intro
During the festival, there will be dragon boat contest, competition for bride, lantern exhibition, viewing remote controlled model ship and crossing rainbow bridge.


China Tianmu Mountain Forest & Tourist Resource Expo
Time:September 16-19
Venue: Lin'an
 
Intro
The themes of the expo are ecology, leisure and life. It has three categories: economy and trade, culture, tourism. Visitors can enjoy local food, appreciate chicken blood stones and feel Wuyue culture.

Main Tourist Attraction:Tianmu Mountain

Transport: mini-bus, taxi or tourist coach
 

China International Silk Expo     
Time: October 20 to 23
Venue: Hangzhou Peace International Conference and Exposition Center

Intro
The China International Silk Expo is jointly sponsored by the State's Ministry of Commerce and the Municipal Government of Hangzhou, and jointly undertaken by the State Cocoon Silk Correspondence Office, China Silk Association, Hangzhou Economic Committee and Hangzhou Trade Bureau, with zealous support and participation of Cocoon Silk Office of the Commercial Bureau, Silk Association, Commercial Organization, Foreign Trade Company and Silk Garment Enterprise from every province (district and city).This event is hitherto the largest, highest level and most professional Silk Exposition at home and abroad.


Tonglu Fuchun River Natural Landscape Festival
Time:  End of August-Early September
Venue: Tonglu
 
Intro
Mountain and water are two major elements in the festival. The Fuchun river water can best reflect the history and culture of Tonglu as well as its charming scenery.

Transport: take mini-bus at West Bus Station to Tonglu


Winter

Viewing Mume Blossom at Chaoshan Hill     
Time：February   
Venue: Chaoshan Hill  
 
Intro
Chaoshan Hill is a famous resort in northeast Hangzhou (29km)for enjoying mume blossom in February. The best-known blossoms can be traced back to the Tang and the Song Dynasties. The scenic spot is characterized by the combination of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.


Tolling the Bell to See the New Year in
Time：During the Spring Festival   
Venue: Temple of Pure Benevolence; Pagoda of Six Harmonies
 
Intro
It is the local folk custom to toll the bell to welcome in a New Year, which means the New Year both on the Western Calendar and on the lunar calendar. The New Year's bell is tolled on New Year's Eve at Temple of Pure Benevolence and Pagoda of Six Harmonies. This traditional activity, carried out especially on Chinese New Y ear's Eve, has attracted foreigh visitors as well as Chinese, who strike the bell 108 times to pray for peace, health, happiness, and prosperity.


Longmen Ancient Town Folkways Festival
Time:Early November
Venue:Longmen Ancient Town  (52km southwest Hangzhou)

Intro
Based on rural work and ancient sports games, the festival offers a variety of activities backed by Longmen natural landscape.


China Qinghefang Folk Artist Festival
Time: Oct.12 - Nov. 15
Venue:Qinghefang Historical Block
Sponsor:Chinese Folk Literature and Art Association
 
Intro

This festival is composed of activities such as folk craft exhibition, folk art exhibition, folk art tribunal, folk collection exchange, folk luxurious craft auction and other cultural and tourism promotions.

Transport: Bus Y8、35、K8、K404、60、62、59、818、K850、284

A Grand Show for Winter-sweet and Mume Blossom at Lingfeng     
Time：February   

Venue: Lingfeng

Intro
Lingfeng is one of the three southeast China's famous resorts for enjoying special flowers called mei in Chinese, which means both winter-sweet and mume blossom. Every February in the winter season there is a big show for mei flowers. Meanwhile, flower arrangement competition, garden party, barbecue, waterwheel treading, arrow shooting and other recreational activities are held.

On the 12-hectare land are planted some 6000 mei flowers in 60-odd variety. Among them, winter-sweet inclueds its variety of concolor, grandiflora, glaucus, bloom with rouge petals, while mume blossom includes pink double form, green calyx, cinnabar purple form, tortuous dragon group, and pendulous mei group. For educational purposes, the exhibition room about the scenic spot history, mei culture show room, and many more are open to the public.