Xiangzhou District, Zhuhai

More than 80,000 visitors from Zhuhai, Zhongshan, Jiangmen and other neighboring areas flocked to Lianzhou Town for the First Doumen District Folk Culture Fair on Aug 28.

Doumen boasts more than 70 cultural heritages, two of which -- On-Water Wedding and Catching Mudfish – are recognized to be of national level.

Dragon Boat Cruise [Photo by Zhang Zhou / Zhuhai Daily]

The daylong fair presented cultural heritage shows including On-Water Wedding, Fish Cage Weaving, Lion Dances, and Burning Bamboo Stick Incense as well as Dragon Boat Cruises. In addition, visitors participated in such games as a Duck-Catching Contest.

Intangible cultural heritage cuisines and refreshments like Dachikan Open Flame Roast Pork & Spare Ribs, Hakka Salt Tea, Wormwood Rice Cake, Hushan Jinchao Pipa Duck, and Lianzhou Bean Paste Mooncake -- all popular with the attendees -- were offered free.

Veres Angel, a Romanian student at Beijing Normal University Zhuhai, came with his companions to enjoy original folk cultural heritages and special local delicacies. He gave the thumbs up to the lively, hot atmosphere, which he said was a totally refreshing experience.

The fair was the first attempt to establish a local cultural brand for Doumen through various approaches. Shen Junxiao, director of the Doumen Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center, said the event combining exhibitions, contests and games with leisure tourism was expected to enliven the brilliant local culture.

Shen revealed that the next fair will be larger and richer in variety, saying that Doumen folk customs would become a city calling card some day and thus give an impetus to social and economic development.