The Yangquan Volunteer Federation launched a charity event marking the traditional Laba Festival in Yangquan city in northern Shanxi province on Jan 2, according to the organizers. 

A total of 70 companies participated in the event, offering free helpings of laba porridge at more than 70 sites in the urban area and in Jiaoqu district, Yuxian and Pingding counties. 

In Xinglong Pedestrian Street, one of the event sites, more than 40 volunteers served the porridge to sanitation workers, on-duty traffic police as well as pedestrians.  

Falling on Jan 2 this year, the Laba Festival is the prelude to the Chinese Spring Festival which falls on the eighth day of the 12th month in Chinese lunar calendar. 

Usually people eat laba porridge made with eight kinds of ingredients, following a tradition that aims to bring happiness and good harvest in the coming year. 

Volunteers serve people laba porridge in Xinglong Pedestrian Street on Jan 2. [Photo/yqnews.com.cn]

People eat delicious porridge in Xinglong Pedestrian Street. [Photo/yqnews.com.cn]