More than 100 food stores, restaurants, and companies will serve authentic locally famous dishes along with delicacies from all over China at the 5th Tangjiawan Gourmet Festival on Qi'ao Island from May 1 to 2.

The Labor Day celebration will also see 17 teams from various Tangjiawan communities compete for the best-tasting, looking, fragrant, colorful, and presented of five local dishes. They will be scored by randomly selected visitors and experts with online voting also counting.

Nearby, visitors can prepare Tangjiawan Tea Refreshments under the instruction of inheritors of the municipal intangible cultural heritage.

Tangjiawan Tea Refreshments

Furthermore, self-produced dried fish, shrimp, shredded squid, and shrimp paste will be on the menu of Unique Flavors of Qi'ao. Fifty-five vendors will sell their best offerings of local eggs, honey, dried vegetables, refreshments, charcoal roasted oysters, and fresh fruits and vegetables.

Meanwhile, the festival will have three booths for authentic Tangjia food and three for delicately cooked Cantonese cuisines, each taken up by local restaurants or a food company. They will comprise the Specialty Food Area offering 40 treats from across the country, including roasted pigeons, sushi, and popular milk tea.

Tangjia cuisine

In addition to hearty food, various handicrafts will be demonstrated embodying sophisticated craftsmanship. Accompanying dances with national characteristics, singing, and instrumental performances will add to the cultural atmosphere.

Parent-child activities will be held at inflatable castles, trampolines, and mini fishing ponds. There will also be DIY Experiences related to kites, pinwheels, and Beijing Opera facial makeup. A Photo Corner will provide backdrops ranging from hot-air balloons to an oyster wall.

The event is sponsored by the Social Undertakings Bureau of the Zhuhai National Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone and organized by Tangjiawan Town Cultural Center.

Last year's Tangjiawan Gourmet Festival [Photo courtesy nanfangplus]

Location: Kangying Square, Qi'ao Baishi Street, on the right side of Hongshulin Road (红树林路右侧的淇澳白石街抗英广场)

To get there, take S111 Gangwan Avenue to Tangqi Road and go to Qi'ao with GPS navigation; or board Buses K1, K2, K3, 3, 3A, 10A, 10, 10F, 66, 68, 69, or 75 and get off at Tangjiawan Market (唐家市场), then transfer to Bus 85 and get off at Dune Site (沙丘遗址) before walking along Hongshulin Road (红树林路) to Baishi Street (白石街).

Four shuttle buses will run every 10 minutes between nearby parking lots and the main venue.