THE Shenzhen leg of the China Xuyi International Crayfish Festival started Tuesday and will continue at several local restaurants until July 2.

    During the festival, high-quality crayfish and traditional crayfish cuisines from Xuyi, Jiangsu Province, will be offered to the city’s diners for seafood feasts, said Li Sen, Party chief of Xuyi County.

    July to October is the best time to eat crayfish because the meat is the most fresh at that time of year.

    Meanwhile, two flash mob events will be held at Longchao Xuyi crayfish restaurants in Nanshan and Luohu districts on Friday and Sunday, and a lucky draw will be held to help introduce crayfish feasts and the culture of Xuyi.

    The 2013 Jiangsu Rural Tourism Festival also has been launched in Xuyi, helping visitors from across the country learn about the area’s beautiful natural scenery and the long history of Xuyi through delicious crayfish meals.

    Xuyi is a small, ancient township that’s famous for crayfish. It holds a crayfish festival every year in six cities across the country. In addition to crayfish, Xuyi’s international tourist attractions include an ancient palace, Diyi Mountain and Tieshan Temple National Forest Park, Li said. (Wang Yuanyuan)