Celebrate Lantern Festival in GZ's 2025 Yuexiu Temple Fair

The 2025 Yuexiu Temple Fair grandly opened on February 12 (Lantern Festival) in Guangzhou's Yuexiu District, promising seven days of nonstop excitement!

The 2025 Yuexiu Temple Fair (Photo: Guangzhou Yuexiu Fabu)

The fair features a vibrant mix of cultural performances, traditional handicrafts, gourmet delights, and immersive folk experiences. The main venue will be Zhongyou Square at Chenghuang Temple (城隍庙忠佑广场), with activities spreading across Beijing Road Pedestrian Street (北京路步行街), Meihuacun Subdistrict (梅花村街), Kuangquan Subdistrict (矿泉街), and Five Immortals Daoist Temple (五仙观), blending online and offline experiences to celebrate the richness of Guangfu culture.

*Guangfu (广府) culture usually overlaps with Cantonese culture.

Event highlights

The opening ceremony features spectacular performances, including Cantonese lion dances, the Five Immortals Blessing Ritual, and Cantonese opera. A highlight of the event will be a performance of The Legend of the White Snake by renowned Cantonese opera star Tan Qingyi, who recently appeared at the 2025 CCTV Spring Festival Gala.

Beijing Road: In celebration of the Year of the Snake, the fair will feature traditional Chinese medicine, Cantonese cuisine, and intangible cultural heritage handicrafts. Beijing Road will host a New Year exhibition, while the Five Immortals Daoist Temple will present a Hanfu-themed garden party with lantern riddles, DIY lantern-making, and classical Chinese poetry games. Food lovers can also visit the Gourmet Temple Fair featuring National Games-themed dishes and must-try delights from 30 top restaurants along Beijing Road.

Zhongyou Square at Chenghuang Temple: For seven days, Zhongyou Square will have daily shows, including Cantonese storytelling, Cantonese opera, Cantonese folk songs, lion dances, and martial arts performances. Comedy fans can also look forward to special youth comedy festival showcases by troupes like Mahua FunAge.
Meihuacun Subdistrict: Beidi Temple Folk Parade in Yangji Village, musical performances, and dragon/lion dances.

Kuangquan Subdistrict: Sachuong Village, Yaotai Village, and Wangshengtang Village will host ancestral hall gatherings, Cantonese opera shows, and traditional feasts, including the famous Three Yaotai Delicacies (braised pork, mushrooms, and fish balls).
Huanghuagang Subdistrict: DIY floral accessories, lantern riddles, and traditional games.
Huale Subdistrict: paper-cutting workshop.
Five Immortals Daoist Temple & Guangzhou Museum: explore Guangzhou's ancient landmarks through cutting-edge digital technology in the Guangfu Metaverse with VR experiences.
Pearl River Night Cruise: lantern-lit boat rides, intangible cultural heritage showcases, traditional Chinese cultural performances, and interactive games.
289 Art Park: Song Dynasty-themed experiences ranging from calligraphy, traditional Chinese medicine, and classic poetry in a historical street setting.

Mark your calendars and get ready to eat, play, and experience the best of the 2025 Yuexiu Temple Fair!

Author | Chen Longyan
Editor | Liu Lingzhi, Huang Qini, James, Shen He
Source: GDToday