Qingtian county in Lishui, Zhejiang province hosted a traditional culinary cultural festival on Jan 3 to celebrate the upcoming Laba Festival, a prelude to Spring Festival, creating a festival vibe and showing off the charms of traditional culture.

Qingtian is a famous hometown of overseas Chinese, with 380,000 overseas Chinese around the world having close family links to it. As Spring Festival approaches, the county is seeing many of those overseas Chinese returning home.

The culinary festival featured traditional delicacies such as Laba porridge, fried rice cakes, and rice sticks – filling the air with sweet aromas that seduced many to indulge in the delectable treats.

Locals taste Laba porridge ahead of the upcoming Laba Festival. [Photo/Tide News]

In addition to the culinary delights, lively performances including intangible cultural heritage displays, singing, and fashion shows were staged.

Attendees captured the fun on their smart phones, their applause echoing throughout the venue. Overseas Chinese also shared live videos of the event with friends abroad, fostering a global connection.

The event attracted over 10,000 locals including returning overseas Chinese, with many more engaging through live video streams.