Qingdao Comedy Festival turns old city into national laugh lab
chinadaily.com.cn| Updated: September 25, 2025
Since Sept 19, the 2025 Qingdao Comedy Festival has been taking place in Qingdao's Shinan district until Sept 28. Co-founded by Qingdao-born celebrities Huang Bo, Huang Xiaoming, Huang Zitao, and Fan Chengcheng, the festival has attracted top domestic comedy stars. It features specially invited performances, a comedy carnival, industry forums, and music parties, showcasing the "metamorphosis" of the new comedy industry in Qingdao.
The festival, modeled after a film festival, featured both established "giants" and emerging "new talent", blending commercial and artistic endeavors. It included comedy "A-listers" like Danliren and Mahua FunAge, along with mid-tier acts and local Qingdao troupes. Performances in traditional liyuan courtyards showcased various forms of comedy, such as mime, improv, manzai, and sketch comedy, offering a panorama of the cutting-edge comedy industry over a period of 10 days.
The Qingdao Comedy Festival has evolved from a nascent idea to a regular event, holding significant value for Qingdao's cultural industry. It stands alongside established drama and film festivals, gathering niche audiences. The century-old liyuan courtyards, living fossils of Qingdao's human history, have been revitalized by the festival.
"Qingdao people have open minds and a pronounced sense of humor," said stand-up comedian Dong Xiao.
The festival also explores the connection between comedy culture and Qingdao's famed beer culture. Furthermore, comedy is linked to the film and television industry. The Shinan district plans to create a film and TV cultural block, integrating local culture and film & TV elements.
The comedy festival connects liyuan culture, beer culture, film & TV culture, and the laughter economy, providing new possibilities for its future development and a fresh direction for China's comedy industry.
Qingdao-born actor Huang Bo interacts with the audience at the 2025 Qingdao Comedy Festival. [Photo/WeChat account: gh_3c7090a8cb50]
On the opening day of the comedy festival, vibrant performances light up Qingdao's old downtown area with comedic energy. [Photo/WeChat account: gh_3c7090a8cb50]