Chongqing Festivals and Events

Chongqing festivals and activities gives a brief introduction of festivals and activities in Chongqing and tells travelers what to do for a Chongqing festival tour. The majority of Chongqing's population is Han nationality. Among the minority groups, Tujia ethnic minority has the largest population, followed by Miao ethnic minority. Therefore, the festivals and activities in Chongqing are mainly those of the Han nationality.

Festivals in Chongqing

For thousands of years, the folk traditions and customs formed by Chongqing people include New Year's visit during the Spring Festival, watching lantern on the 15th day of the first lunar month, ancestor worship in the early April and appreciating the moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival, as well as hanging wine flag, going to temple fairs, flying the kite and so on, covering weddings and funerals, recreations and games, supernatural concepts, worship and taboos, commerce and trade various aspects. Compared with other parts of China, there is not much difference.

Traditional Festivals in Chongqing

Festival Name Date Notes
New Year's Day January 1st New Year's day refers to the first day of the year.
Spring Festival(Chinese New Year) The 1st Day of the 1st Lunar Month(usually in late Jan. or early Feb.; January 25, 2020) Based on Chinese lunar calendar. Spring Festival is the grandest traditional festival of  the Chinese nation. 
Lantern Festival The 15th Day of the 1st Lunar Month Based on Chinese lunar calendar.
Qingming Festival Early April Tomb Sweeping Day; Based on the Qingming solar term.
Dragon Boat Festival The 5th Day of the 5th Lunar Month Based on Chinese lunar calendar. One of China's four major traditional folk festivals and national intangible cultural heritage. Rowing dragon boats and eating Zongzi.
Double Seventh Day The 7th Day of 7th Lunar Month The Chinese Valentine's Day, based on Chinese lunar calendar. 
Spirit Festival(Ghost Festival) The 15th Day of 7th Lunar Month Based on Chinese lunar calendar. 
Mid-Autumn Festival The 15th Day of 8th Lunar Month Based on Chinese lunar calendar. One of China's four major traditional folk festivals. Appreciating the moon and eating moon cake. 
Chongyang Festival The 9th Day of 9th Lunar Month  Based on Chinese lunar calendar. 
Winter Solstice Festival(Dongzhi) December 21st, 22nd or 23rd Based on Chinese lunar calendar. 
Summer Solstice Festival(Dongzhi) June 21st or 22nd Based on Chinese lunar calendar. 
Laba Festival The 8th Day of the 12th Lunar Month(January 2, 2020) Based on Chinese lunar calendar. 
National Day October 1-7 The date on which the People's Republic of China was proclaimed. 

Minority Festivals

Festivals Ethnic Minority Date Location Brief Introduction
Catching the New Year Festival/Guogannian(过赶年) Tujia Ethnic Minority The day before the New Year's Eve Tujia Areas Tujia people celebrate the Spring Festival one day earlier than the Han people, so it is called "Catching the New Year Festival/Guogannian".  Legend says that Ming Jiajing period, Tujia people received the imperial edict to help to suppress the Japanese pirates, in order not to delay the opportunity for combat, Tujia people decided to advance the New Year for the soldiers. In order to commemorate this very meaningful day, it has become a custom to celebrate the Spring Festival a day earlier. 
Bizika Festival(毕滋卡节) Tujia Ethnic Minority June 9-12 Huangshui National Forest Park Tujia people call themselves Bizika, which means people who are indigenous to. On the day of the festival, there is a national Goldthread Trade Fair, and in the Huangshui national forest park, you can enjoy a song and dance party, a large-scale waving dance performance, as well as a display of Tujia cuisine.
Catching the Autumn/Ganqiu(赶秋) Miao Ethnic Minority Every year the beginning of the Autumn Pengshui Miao and Tujia Autonomous County "Catch the autumn" is an annual traditional festival of the Miao people in Pengshui. At the day that Autumn begins, Miao people put on their costumes and rushed to the autumn field from all directions. They drum and gong, sing and dance, bustling and hilarious. 

Local Featured Festivals in Chongqing

Featured Festivals Date Brief Introduction
Chongqing Three Gorges International Tourism Festival Around May Day Founded in 1993, its purpose is to publicize the image of Chongqing, improve the popularity and reputation of Chongqing and the three gorges tourism, and enhance the communication and cooperation between Chongqing and domestic and foreign tourism. The main content includes the large-scale variety show, the inspection of three gorges scenery and so on.
Chongqing International Music and Beer Festival Celebration time varies every Year(September 5-8, 2019) Since 2009, Chongqing international music and beer festival is the cultural festival activity, integrating binge drinking, carnival, literary appreciation, escaping heat and beer brand evaluation. It is also known as Chongqing's Munich beer festival.
Chongqing Hotpot Food and Culture Festival In october During the Hotpot festival, there are food exhibition, promotion and trade, forum summit, catering competition, art performance and other activities.
Tongliang Dragon Lantern Art Festival In october It is a large-scale art activity centered on "Dragon ", held in Tongliang County in October of each year, with a very rich content, including large-scale singing and dancing party, Chinese dragon dance performance, Chinese dragon culture and dragon dance academic seminar and dragon culture art exhibition. 

Activities in Chongqing

Temple Fairs

Temple Fair Date Location Notes
Ciqikou Temple Fair The 1st day to the 15th day of the 1st lunar month Ciqikou Ancient Town With a long history, Ciqikou temple fair is a traditional Chinese folk cultural event integrating folk art, religious belief, material exchange and cultural entertainment. Its main performances include waist drum, fan dance, float, as well as sugar making, dough making, Sichuan opera and other traditional performances and traditional snacks.
Baoding Temple Fair(宝顶架香庙会) The 18th day of the 2nd lunar month Dazu District of Chongqing It is an indispensable part of Dazu Stone Carving international tourism and culture festival and a unique local temple fair. It began in the southern Song dynasty, with Guanyin as the main god of worship, is a national intangible cultural heritage. 
Fengdu Temple Fair/Ghost City Temple Fair(丰都庙会/鬼城庙会) Starting from the third day of the third lunar month Fengdu Ghost City Ghost town temple fair is popular in Chongqing Fengdu County area. Fengdu ghost town has numerous temples and temple fairs. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Ghost town temple fairs were once suspended. On April 18, 1988, Fengdu County held the first temple fair in Ghost town. On the basis of retaining the original features of the temple fair, economic and trade negotiations and material exchanges were added. 

Exhibitions in Chongqing

Name Date Venue
2019 Chongqing International Food, Beverage and Catering Industry Expo November 28- 30, 2019 Chongqing International Expo Center
2019 Chongqing International Print & Pack Expo November 28- 30, 2019 Chongqing International Expo Center
2019 China Huaxia Home Expo(Chongqing) November 29-December 1, 2019 Chongqing International Expo Center
2020 Global Semiconductor Industry (Chongqing) Expo May 7- 9, 2020 Chongqing International Expo Center
2020 China (Chongqing) International Auto Parts Exhibition March 20- 21, 2020 Chongqing Yuelai International Expo Center
2020 China (Chongqing) YREP Expo May 7- 9, 2020 Chongqing International Expo Center

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