Yixian county in East China's Anhui Province launched a series of 2026 Dragon Boat Festival and summer cultural tourism events on June 15. The activities will run from mid-June to August at iconic ancient villages and scenic spots across the county.
During the Dragon Boat Festival from June 17 to 21, lively dragon lantern parades will take place in Lucun and Nanping villages. Scenic areas such as Xidi, Hongcun and Nanping are set to distribute free festive sachets to visitors and host DIY sachet making workshops. The county cultural center also plans to hold hands-on sessions on sachet crafting and bamboo-woven fan making to carry forward traditional festival customs.
A dragon lantern parade lights up an ancient bridge on Dragon Boat Festival night. [Photo/WeChat account: yixianwenlu]
Throughout the summer vacation, Hongcun will present an array of public study tours dedicated to intangible cultural heritage, complemented by lantern parades and Hui opera performances. Meanwhile, Xidi will provide tours of filming locations from a popular TV drama, along with ink-making experiences and nighttime light shows. The full event schedule also covers fish lantern parades, red culture summer camps and countywide trail running competitions.
A preferential policy applies to students nationwide. Middle school and high school graduates can visit seven major scenic spots for free with valid credentials by the end of August.
The county aims to deliver immersive Huizhou cultural experiences and draw more visitors to its ancient villages and natural landscapes this summer.