The 2023 Guangzhou Qiqiao Cultural Festival will kick off at Qixi Cultural Square, the festival's main venue, in Guangzhou's Tianhe district on Aug 17, and will last for seven days.

The Qiqiao Festival (Begging for Skills Festival), also known as Qixi Festival, is Valentine's Day in China. It originated in the Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 220), and a whole host of related customs have gradually taken shape since then.

The traditional decorations for the Qiqiao Festival are on display at Mingde Hall in Tianhe district. [Photo/WeChat account: tianhefabu]

Having been held for 18 consecutive years, the Qiqiao Cultural Festival is an annual folk culture event in Guangzhou. This year's event will focus on the protection and planning of the Zhucun village project, as it is of great historical and cultural significance.

A variety of activities, including online tours of several intangible cultural heritage museums, an intangible cultural heritage market, folk art performances, as well as the traditional Qiqiao celebration, will be carried out.

In addition, metaverse technology will be applied throughout the celebration to attract more visitors.

Girls in hanfu (a type of traditional Chinese garment) attend a previous session of the Guangzhou Qiqiao Cultural Festival. [Photo/WeChat account: tianhefabu]

The festival's sub-venues include the Guangzhou Qiqiao Cultural Museum, the Qiqiao Garden, the Yuheng Art Gallery, Tangxia Zhihui Park, Grandview Plaza, as well as Heli Tiande Plaza.