Visitors walk through a chili pepper-shaped archway into the food market on Hesi Road in Quzhou. [Photo/Jiang Feng for Tide News]

Hesi Road in Kecheng district, Quzhou, Zhejiang province, drew crowds and concertgoers during the National Day holiday from Oct 1 to 7 with spicy food and interactive activities.

Hesi Road, billed as "the spiciest road in the Yangtze River Delta region", offered a series of free activities from Oct 1 to 5, including ring toss games with local farm produce as prizes, fishing activities, a square-dancing competition, a wok-tossing contest, and themed character appearances.

The area also hosted a four-day concert by singer Richie Jen. Restaurant operators said more customers from outside the city visited Hesi Road after the concerts, with sales of barbecue and craft beer rising from September levels.

Local specialties remained a major draw, including Kaihua freshwater fish and spicy crab. Other restaurants offered spicy fish dishes, barbecue, craft beer, and roast lamb.

The area's mix of businesses has also expanded, with a gym that opened in late June hosting the Quzhou leg of a national powerlifting challenge in August.

The Hesi Road food market opened in July 2024. Its operator said the district has generated about 70 million yuan ($10.44 million) in sales since opening.