A North–South Folk Fusion for the Lantern Festival: Tonglu's Grand Folk Street Parade Lights Up the City

|ChinaNews|Published:2026-03-02 10:20:48

A North–South Folk Fusion for the Lantern Festival: Tonglu's Grand Folk Street Parade Lights Up the City_fororder_微信图片_20260302092110_7_477

A North–South Folk Fusion for the Lantern Festival: Tonglu's Grand Folk Street Parade Lights Up the City_fororder_微信图片_20260302092113_10_477

A North–South Folk Fusion for the Lantern Festival: Tonglu's Grand Folk Street Parade Lights Up the City_fororder_微信图片_20260302092118_17_477

A North–South Folk Fusion for the Lantern Festival: Tonglu's Grand Folk Street Parade Lights Up the City_fororder_微信图片_20260302092119_18_477

On-site Performances

On February 28, the 2026 Tonglu Lantern Festival Grand Folk Street Parade, themed "Dragon and Lion Gathering from Across China - Celebrating the Lantern Festival in Zhejiang Tonglu," took place with great enthusiasm.

At 13:30, the opening ceremony got underway, with participating teams offering a series of warm-up performances. After the ceremony, the folk showcase began inside the Jiangnan Sports Center, where 16 teams took turns to present their best moves. A succession of dragon-lantern performances brought the millennia-old folk traditions vividly to life on stage.

The Jinjia Bench Dragon from Fuchunjiang Town took the lead, a vivid embodiment of Tonglu's local culture. The century-old Straw-woven Dragon from Baijiang Town surged and leapt to the beat of drums; handled by 60 performers, its golden straw body shimmered in the sunlight. More dragon-lantern teams followed, showcasing the enduring charm of intangible cultural heritage and local traditions. The indoor showcase ended with the Shen'ao High-Altitude Lion Dance, a provincial-level intangible cultural heritage item, as performers deftly guided the lion through breathtaking mid-air flips and agile moves.

Alongside traditional folk performances, a touch of technology brought new energy to the celebration. More than ten robots stepped in sync, swaying their waists and swinging their arms in time with the rhythm of Yangge folk dance.

A North–South Folk Fusion for the Lantern Festival: Tonglu's Grand Folk Street Parade Lights Up the City_fororder_微信图片_20260302092118_16_477

A North–South Folk Fusion for the Lantern Festival: Tonglu's Grand Folk Street Parade Lights Up the City_fororder_微信图片_20260302092111_8_477

A North–South Folk Fusion for the Lantern Festival: Tonglu's Grand Folk Street Parade Lights Up the City_fororder_微信图片_20260302092112_9_477

A North–South Folk Fusion for the Lantern Festival: Tonglu's Grand Folk Street Parade Lights Up the City_fororder_微信图片_20260302092114_11_477

A North–South Folk Fusion for the Lantern Festival: Tonglu's Grand Folk Street Parade Lights Up the City_fororder_微信图片_20260302092116_13_477

A North–South Folk Fusion for the Lantern Festival: Tonglu's Grand Folk Street Parade Lights Up the City_fororder_微信图片_20260302092115_12_477

A North–South Folk Fusion for the Lantern Festival: Tonglu's Grand Folk Street Parade Lights Up the City_fororder_微信图片_20260302092116_14_477

On-site Performances

Meanwhile, folk highlights from across China also took the stage in Tonglu, including Yingge Dance, Haiyang Yangge, "Acrobatic Lion Dance with Jar Balancing", High-pole Lion Dance, and Jieyang Green Lion Dance.

After the indoor performances concluded, two parade formations set off from the Jiangnan Sports Center in an orderly sequence, kicking off a citywide street procession filled with festivity and excitement.

From February 28 to March 3, a range of public cultural activities will be rolled out, including a Spring Festival-themed lantern fair and immersive parade inspired by the aesthetic IP of Guose Fanghua (Flourished Peony), a Lantern Festival Riddle Fair, Yue Opera performances, and exhibitions of calligraphy, painting, and paper-cutting art.

A North–South Folk Fusion for the Lantern Festival: Tonglu's Grand Folk Street Parade Lights Up the City_fororder_微信图片_20260302092117_15_477

A North–South Folk Fusion for the Lantern Festival: Tonglu's Grand Folk Street Parade Lights Up the City_fororder_微信图片_20260302092121_20_477

On-site Performances

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