Qingdao Events and Festivals

(Qingdao, Shandong, China, CN

Qingdao features a variety of annual events and seasonal festivals, some of which are celebrated throughout China, while others remain quite exclusive to the city.

Many visitors to Qingdao plan their trips to coincide with popular calendar events, such as the spectacle that is the Lantern Festival each March, followed by the Temple Fair at the Zhanshan Temple in April and the cherry tree festivities every May. These celebrations allow visitors to experience an altogether more authentic sense of Chinese culture and to enjoy the lively holiday atmosphere generated by the locals.

The Qingdao International Beer Festival in August is also extremely popular and always draws large crowds to 'Beer City', offering plenty of things to see, do and more importantly, drink! Carnival-style games, drinking contests, live music and brewery stalls are amongst the principal highlights.

National Public Holidays

The People's Republic of China features a total of nine national public holidays each year:

• New Year's Day - January 1st
• Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) - February
• International Women's Day - March 8th
• International Labour Day - May 1st
• Youth Day - May 4th
• International Children's Day - June 1st
• Birthday of the Chinese Communist Party - July 1st
• Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Liberation Army (August 1st)
• National Day - October 1st

Qingdao Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015

January

• New Year's Day - while this is not the first day of the new lunar year, citizens of Qingdao still observe the beginning of the new year according to the western calendar. A day off is enjoyed by all and it is a chance to get together with family and friends

February

• Qingdao Radish and Glutinous Rice Dumpling Fair - held towards the end of the month and invariably running into March, this annual festival is celebrated at Chu Shui Shan children's park in the Shi Bei district of the city. As the title suggests, festival-goers can sample radish and sticky rice dumplings, as well as a variety of other Chinese food delicacies
• Spring Festival - held across China, this is the country's traditional celebration for the seeing in of the new lunar year. The festival is one of the biggest in the lunar calendar and sees friends and family meet to exchange gifts, street parades with traditional dragon dances, and no shortage of firecrackers and fireworks

March

• Lantern Festival - celebrated across China, the lantern festival is held at the end of the Spring Festival's New Year celebrations and sees citizens hanging brightly coloured paper lanterns from homes and public buildings. Lanterns are lit in the evenings, creating a romantic atmosphere for all to enjoy. Sticky rice dumplings are traditionally eaten at this time

April

• Temple Fair at Zhanshan Temple - an annual affair celebrated by Chinese Buddhists at the Zhanshan Temple in Qingdao. Expect religious rites and subdued proceedings accompanied by traditional Buddhist music
• Qingming - locals visit the graves of deceased family members for a spot of spring cleaning and pay tribute to their memories. Offerings of flowers, wine and food are made in honour of those who have passed away

May

• Cherry Festival - early May, the city of Qingdao is filled with colour as the cherry trees are in full bloom, resulting in a variety of events
• Dragon Boat Festival - held across the country, this is hailed as the third most important event in the lunar calendar. In Qingdao, locals take to the sea on brightly painted dragon boats to compete against each other in exciting races

June

• Qingdao Ocean Festival - running from the last week of June to well into July, this annual affair aims to promote Qingdao as a tourist-friendly seaside city. Expect sea related activities including boating displays and seafood cooking presentations

July

• Summer Arts Festival of Qingdao - held mid-month and lasting a week, this event is a showcase of arts-related performances, screenings, exhibitions and displays
• Ocean Festival - mid-July, with a programme of events centred around the coastline and plenty of seafood to go around

August

• Qingdao International Beer Festival - held annually in the second week of August, this is an exceedingly popular event that attracts visitors from across the country, as well as those from overseas. A large selection of beer from around the world is available for sampling, with the local brew inevitably playing a big part in the proceedings

September

• Qingdao Beach Culture Festival - held annually at the city's best coastal spots, the Beach Culture Festival is a celebration of the city's relationship with the sea. Expect a variety of beach-based activities
• Grape Festival - mid-September, celebrations relating to the local wineries, including plenty to drink and sample

October

• Mid Autumn Festival - commonly hailed as one of China's most significant festivals, this annual affair is celebrated with a variety of festivities, which include traditional singing and dancing, and also the consumption of moon-shaped cakes

November

• Mount Laoshan Tourist and Cultural Festival - the Mount Laoshan area presents a varied spectacle of ethnic events and activities, aimed at both visiting and local festival-goers

December

• Christmas Day - by no means a typical Chinese celebration, Christmas is beginning to make a mark on big Chinese cities and visitors will find hotels, shops and restaurants playing Christmas songs and even presenting a variety of seasonal goods and offerings