Guangzhou residents were treated to a myriad of outdoor performances including exotic dances from America, African drumming and extreme sports displays at the 2017 Guangzhou International Outdoor Arts Festival on Sept 20.

It is the first outdoor arts festival held in the city's iconic Huacheng Square, providing a great platform for Guangzhou citizens to admire diverse art shows, music, dance and opera.

A distinctive African drum performance is staged during the opening ceremony of 2017 Guangzhou International Outdoor Art Festival. [Photo/oeeee.com]

Highlights from the opening ceremony include a drumming performance by eight-year-old Zhang Wenyu who appeared on the TV show Brilliant Chinese, as well as a performance by a band called Heiye Daliang whose music integrates guitar, violin, didgeridoo, and erhu.

Guangzhou-based parkour team City Spanker also wowed guests during the opening ceremony with their spectacular urban stunts.

The opening ceremony for the 2017 Guangzhou International Outdoor Arts Festival also marked the beginning of a special cultural season to be held in Tianhe district. From September to December, more international cultural activities will be showcased in the district and for those who want to get involved please follow the WeChat account "shangtianhe" and stay tuned. 

Eight-year-old drummer Zhang Wenyu who stood out on the television show Brilliant Chinese wins applause at the opening ceremony for 2017 Guangzhou International Outdoor Art Festival.[Photo from WeChat account tianhefabu]

A child claps his hands while enjoying the outdoor performances at the 2017 Guangzhou International Outdoor Art Festival. [Photo/gzdaily.dayoo.com]