A news briefing is held for the 2022 China Girls' Festival by the information office of the Guangyuan municipal people's government. [Photo provided by Guangyuan city]

The much-anticipated 2022 China Girls' Festival will kick off in Guangyuan, Sichuan province, from Aug 29 to Sept 11, local media outlets reported. 

This year's festival is expected to host eight themed activities, featuring an opening ceremony, blind dates, a food carnival, an open water swimming competition, the National Women's Basketball Championship, an opera performance and the "Phoenix Cup" women's Go competition.

The opening ceremony is going to be held on the morning of Sept 1, which includes theatrical performances, the phoenix boat race, and a river sightseeing tour. The artistic show will present Guangyuan's folk culture and high-quality development achievements, while the phoenix boat race and sightseeing activities along Jialing River are designed to reproduce the local customs of ancient times. 

A two-day blind date event will be held in the beautiful ancient town of Zhaohua. Age-appropriate singletons are expected to enjoy a pleasant time attending photo-shooting tours, games and parties.

The food fair, showcasing local agricultural products, food and beverages, and cultural and creative products, is set to start on Aug 31 and will end on Sept 10. People will also have the opportunity to learn the recipes of some famous Guangyuan courses.

A themed literature gathering will focus on the Empress Wu Zetian of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), who was born in Guangyuan. Literature buffs will create works and discuss the city’s celebrity culture to promote local tourism.

From Aug 29 to Sept 11, there will be the 2022 National Women's Basketball Championship, the highest-level basketball event undertaken by Guangyuan. It aims to raise the level of competitive sports, and help promote the integration of sports, tourism and cultural development in the city.

The festival will serve to be a feast for swimming enthusiasts, opera lovers and Go devotees. In addition, women can visit the city's A-level and above scenic spots for free from Aug 31 to Sept3.

The Girl's Festival (better known as nverjie) is a traditional Chinese holiday to commemorate Empress Wu. In olden times, people preferred to visit Huangze Temple in memory of Empress Wu on her birthday, which fell on the 23rd day of the first lunar month. On that day, women would dress up and invite someone to stroll along the Jialing River in the hopes of receiving good luck.