YES, we all know that the Duanwu Festival, also known as the Dragon Boat Festival, is commonly associated with dragon boat races. However this year, Xixiang Subdistrict in Bao’an District will celebrate the festival with another dragon-related folk tradition, dragon and lion dances, along with other traditional folk customs during its weeklong celebration. Xixiang will kick off its celebration Saturday for the annual festival that falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar each year, which is June 22 this year. There are colorful events showcasing traditional Chinese arts and crafts such as sugar painting, Guanxi-style bronze crafts, shadow plays, oil-paper umbrellas, and traditional Chinese weaving crafts. Visitors can enjoy night markets featuring delicacies and street food from different places, as well as song and dance performances. The highlight of the celebration will be a parade featuring dragon and lion dances, as well as traditional folk art performances, to be staged June 22. The parade begins at 3 p.m. and will last an hour. After that, folk art performances, magic shows and acrobatics will take center stage and carry on the carnival mood into the night. The Dragon Boat Festival is inscribed in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage given its significant role in Chinese history. People eat zongzi or pyramid-shaped sticky rice dumplings that are wrapped with bamboo or reed leaves. People in South China celebrate the festival with dragon boat races and wearing perfume sachets, among other things. It is a festival in which people celebrate their health, the value of harmony and cohesion as well as dedication to the nation. Time: 10 a.m.-10 p.m., June 17-25 Venues: Xixiang Commercial Pedestrian Street (西乡商业步行街), Xixiang Park, Bao’an District (宝安西乡公园) Buses: 331, 362, M240, M241, M242, M435 For drivers, navigate to “Bao’an Xixiang Park, Xixiang Commercial Pedestrian Street (西乡商业步行街，宝安西乡公园)” Inquiries: 134-3366-8881, or scan the QR code to join a group chat for inquires (Song Yingwen) | 