Haidong Festivals And Activities

The festivals of Haidong City（海东市） reflect the unique vitality and warmth of the Hehuang Valley（河湟谷地）. Unlike the vast and remote plateau festivals of western Qinghai, Haidong’s celebrations combine the folk traditions of Han（汉族）, Tibetan（藏族）, Hui（回族）, Tu（土族）, and Salar（撒拉族） communities, creating a colorful cultural landscape filled with flower songs, drum performances, folk dances, and local traditions.

As the birthplace of Hehuang Culture（河湟文化）, Haidong has developed a year-round festival system centered on “Flower Songs, Ethnic Heritage, Rural Culture, and Yellow River Tourism”. Traditional festivals are not only cultural celebrations but also important tourism experiences, allowing visitors to experience authentic local lifestyles, intangible cultural heritage, and ethnic customs.

The main festival themes of Haidong include the famous Hua’er Folk Song Festivals（花儿会）, Tu ethnic traditional celebrations, Salar and Tibetan cultural activities, agricultural festivals, temple fairs, lantern festivals, and modern cultural tourism events.

Summer Festivals: Hua’er Songs and Hehuang Cultural Celebrations

Summer is the most active festival season in Haidong. The pleasant plateau climate, green valleys, and blooming landscapes provide the perfect setting for large-scale folk gatherings.

Qinghai Silk Road Hua’er Art Festival（青海省丝路花儿艺术节）

The Qinghai Silk Road Hua’er Art Festival（青海省丝路花儿艺术节） is one of Haidong’s most important annual cultural tourism events. The festival focuses on promoting Hua’er（花儿）, a traditional folk singing style popular in northwest China and recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage（国家级非物质文化遗产）.

The festival usually includes folk singing competitions, cultural performances, tourism promotion activities, camping experiences, intangible cultural heritage exhibitions, and local agricultural product fairs.

During the festival period, Haidong organizes activities throughout its districts and counties, including:

• “Flowers Along the Yellow River” Original Hua’er Performances（花开黄河两岸原生态花儿会）: Folk singers from Qinghai, Gansu, Ningxia, and other regions perform traditional songs.
• “Weekend Escape to Haidong” Camping Season（周末放松·去趟海东）: Outdoor tourism activities at scenic camping areas.
• Yellow River Summer Night Concerts（黄河夏夜音乐会）: Open-air performances combining local culture and modern music.

Qutan Temple Hua’er Festival（瞿昙寺花儿会）

Qutan Temple Hua’er Festival（瞿昙寺花儿会） in Ledu District（乐都区） is one of the most famous traditional folk singing gatherings in the Hehuang region.

Held around the lunar June 14–16 every year, the festival attracts singers and visitors from surrounding areas. Participants sing traditional Hua’er songs, exchange folk culture, and celebrate ethnic unity around the historic Qutan Temple（瞿昙寺）.

Spring Festivals: Folk Customs, Fire Celebrations, and Flower Seasons

Spring in Haidong is filled with traditional New Year celebrations, agricultural culture, and flower-viewing activities.

Minhe Guanting Fire Flower Festival（民和官亭火花节）

The Guanting Fire Flower Festival（官亭火花节） in Minhe Hui and Tu Autonomous County（民和回族土族自治县） is a traditional Tu ethnic festival with a history of more than one hundred years.

Held around the Lunar New Year period, the festival features:

• Folk parade performances
• Tu ethnic drum dances
• Naton Dance（纳顿舞）
• Traditional performances such as “Drunken Guan Yu”（醉关公）

The festival represents the unique combination of Tu traditions and local New Year customs.

Huzhu Tu New Year Folk Performances（互助土族春节社火）

During the Spring Festival period, towns and villages in Huzhu Tu Autonomous County（互助土族自治县） organize large-scale Shehuo（社火） performances.

Visitors can watch:

• Anzhao Dance（安召舞）
• Tu ethnic costumes
• Folk songs and dances
• Traditional village celebrations

These activities provide an excellent opportunity to experience authentic Tu ethnic culture.

Ledu Nianbo Pear Blossom Festival（乐都碾伯梨文化活动）

When pear blossoms bloom in spring, Nianbo Town（碾伯镇） in Ledu District（乐都区） holds pear culture activities.

The event combines:

• Pear blossom sightseeing
• Traditional performances
• Cultural exhibitions
• Agricultural product markets
• Rural tourism experiences

It has become one of Haidong’s popular spring tourism activities.

Traditional Festivals and Intangible Cultural Heritage Experiences

Ping’an Traditional Archery Cultural Exchange（平安传统射箭文化交流会）

Ping’an District（平安区） hosts traditional archery activities during the Dragon Boat Festival period.

The event promotes Nanshan Archery（南山射箭）, a National Intangible Cultural Heritage project, combining:

• Traditional sports
• Ethnic culture
• Rural tourism
• Heritage preservation

Jiǔqu Yellow River Lantern Festival（九曲黄河灯会）

The Jiǔqu Yellow River Lantern Festival（九曲黄河灯会） in Ledu District（乐都区） is one of Haidong’s most representative traditional celebrations.

Held during the Lantern Festival（元宵节）, the event features a large-scale lantern maze symbolizing blessings, happiness, and harmony. The tradition is listed as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage（国家级非物质文化遗产）.

Ping’an “Meet Ping’an” Cultural Tourism Festival（平安区相约平安文化旅游系列活动）

This annual event combines traditional culture with modern tourism activities.

Typical activities include:

• Mid-Autumn Festival performances
• Outdoor sports events
• Drone light shows
• Cycling activities
• Cultural performances

It has become an important platform promoting Haidong’s rural tourism and cultural industries.

Festival Tours with Yaso Trip

Haidong is suitable for cultural festival tours throughout the year. Yaso Trip（亚索旅业） can design customized festival travel routes combining ethnic villages, ancient temples, local cuisine, and seasonal celebrations.

Recommended festival travel themes include:

Hehuang Cultural Heritage Tour
Xining（西宁） → Haidong（海东） → Qutan Temple（瞿昙寺） → Liwan Painted Pottery Museum（柳湾彩陶博物馆） → Hehuang Culture Museum（河湟文化博物馆）

Tu Ethnic Culture Experience Tour
Haidong → Huzhu Tu Homeland Park（互助土族故土园） → Beishan National Forest and Geopark（北山国家森林地质公园） → Tu village cultural experiences

Yellow River Folk Festival Tour
Ping’an District（平安区） → Ledu District（乐都区） → Minhe County（民和县） → Traditional festivals and rural cultural activities

Haidong Annual Festival Activities Calendar

Travel Planning Tips:
Festival dates and event programs may change each year. Travelers are advised to check the latest announcements from the Haidong Culture, Sports, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau（海东市文体旅游广电局） before departure. Summer Hua’er festivals and major folk events attract many visitors, so accommodation in Haidong and nearby Xining should be reserved in advance.