Grand Canal festival breathes new life into ancient traditions

A giant "golden dragon" formed by 36 bamboo rafts glided gracefully along the Tongzhou section of the Grand Canal in Tongzhou district, Beijing, on Friday during Dragon Boat Festival.

The show — painting a stunning Chinese-style scene — runs from June 19-21.

The banks of the Grand Canal buzzed with excitement and gradually filled with lights as over ten thousand locals and tourists flocked to the waterfront festival.

Amid displays of intangible cultural heritage, folk performances, and a dazzling light show, attendees were immersed in the vibrant, authentic, and contemporary atmosphere of Dragon Boat Festival.

The event breathed new life into millennia-old cultural traditions, revitalizing them in Beijing Municipal Administrative Center, in Tongzhou district.

Video by Tongzhou District Converged Media Center