Over 3,000 activities mark farmers' festival

The main event of this year's Chinese Farmers' Harvest Festival was held on Tuesday in Zhaoyuan, Shandong province, showcasing the country's smart agriculture development, rural culture, and farmers' achievements.

The 2025 national event drew villagers, farmers, entrepreneurs, and tourists to Dahuchenjia village, a model community for rural vitalization. Participants gathered in the village square for a day of folk performances, food fairs, and product exhibitions, with livestreaming hosts helping sell local produce to online audiences.

Nationwide, more than 3,000 online and offline celebratory activities were held across provinces, celebrating this year's bumper harvest and fueling the rural vitalization.

At the main venue, the program featured one grand gala, five themed exhibitions, and five special activities, including displays of seed industry advances, modern farming machinery, and smart agriculture applications such as unmanned tractors and farm robots.

Local heritage is also presented at the event. Chefs prepared regional specialties such as lamb soup and handmade noodles. The performance of drum dances and Shandong opera attracted audiences.

Zhang Hongqi, head of the provincial agriculture and rural affairs department, said this year's harvest festival integrated national elements with Shandong's local flavor.

"It highlights rural industries, construction and governance, while celebrating farmers' prosperity and the beauty of village life," Zhang said at a news conference in late August.

Zhaoyuan is known as the birthplace of Longkou vermicelli and one of the earliest regions in China to grow Fuji apples, said Mayor Li Pengcheng. The host village, Dahuchenjia, is an example of integrated rural industries of modern agricultural parks combining tourism, education, and cultural exhibits, he said.

Since its launch in 2018, the festival has grown into a nationwide platform to promote rural culture and highlight achievements in food security, poverty alleviation, and modernization.