How to get there:

    Take a train to Guangzhou from Shenzhen Railway Station and take a taxi to Lizhiwan, Liwan District.     

    THE 2nd Cantonese Folk Customs Cultural Festival begins June 12 in Liwan District, Guangzhou.

    The five-day event will feature a series of traditional art performances, exhibitions, interactive activities and dragon boat races, according to Bai Jie, Party chief of Guangdong Federation of Literary and Art Circles.

    The annual event is also a celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival, which falls on June 12. This year’s theme focuses on the traditional “water culture” in Guangzhou.

    At least 50 dragon boats from different parts of Guangdong Province will attend this year’s dragon boat race, while more than 30 teams from 12 Guangdong cities and areas will participate in performances and an artistic parade.

    A three-member dragon boat with a swallowtail-shaped stern, from Qingyuan, will attend and a special dragon dance from Longhuzhai in Chaozhou will be performed in Guangzhou for the first time.

    Racing three-member dragon boats with swallowtails has a history of more than 300 years in Qingyuan. The boats’ sterns make them quite different from many other dragon boats in China. Different areas in Qingyuan hold races for these special boats every year around the Dragon Boat Festival. Locals often perform martial arts demonstrations while rowing their boats.

    Other activities at the Guangzhou festival include a chess competition and a martial arts carnival.

    The chess competition features traditional Chinese strategy games such as Chinese chess, go and gobang. Martial artists will share their skills at Lizhiwan.

    Liwan Lake Park and Cultural Park will be open for free during the festival.

    (Wang Yuanyuan)