Qingdao Daily/Guanhai News, Jan. 4 – During the New Year's Day holiday, Qingdao's Historic Urban Area became a top destination for citizens and tourists to celebrate the new year, featuring new festive scenes and creative "immersive check-in" activities. Statistics show that over a three-day period, a total of 915,500 visits were made to the historic area, where people welcomed the New Year in a joyful and peaceful atmosphere.
As a newly-designated national 4A-level tourist attraction, the Historic Urban Area deeply integrates its century-old Liyuan architecture (a unique style blending Chinese courtyards with Western buildings) with an oriental aesthetic, creating a rich and elegant New Year's atmosphere. On Haibo Road in the Dabaodao block, colorful lanterns adorned the sky, casting a warm glow on the enthusiastic faces of pedestrians. At the large wishing installation in Yizhou Road Square, citizens and tourists wrote down their wishes and hung them up; the cards, filled with blessings, danced in the wind, creating a heartwarming winter scene. From New Year decorations to intangible cultural heritage markets, and from specialty foods to street performances, tradition and trend intertwined in the historic area, presenting a cultural and tourism feast for the New Year.
In front of the flagship store of Qing-shi (a local food brand) in the Wanwu-chao Liyuan, a long queue of visitors formed to participate in the "Qing-shi Code" interactive experience, where they could win a prize of calcium-enriched milk biscuits by stopping a timer at exactly "19:50". "After feeding the seagulls, we wandered from Zhanqiao Pier all the way to Dabaodao. We were surprised to find so many fun new scenes in the historic area, along with a rich variety of innovative cultural products and 'Qingdao Gifts'," said Ms. Li, a citizen who was queuing for the game with her child, marveling at the many "new carriers of the city's memory" emerging in the historic area.
The "Starry Night Market" at Boshan Road Square gathered intangible cultural heritage crafts and trendy goods, while the "Early Bird Market" at Pichaiyuan Square focused on agricultural products and mystery-themed board games, attracting visitors to stop, watch, and participate.
Furthermore, the block arranged diverse performances, including street singing, magic shows, parades, and clown interactions, which took turns to ignite the joyful atmosphere. Local businesses closely coordinated with the events, launching promotional packages and lucky draws for consumers, further enhancing the comprehensive experience of "strolling, playing, and shopping."
As the "Winter Tour in Qingdao" campaign gains momentum, the vitality of the Historic Urban Area will continue to be unleashed. Some of the New Year's Day holiday activities in the area will extend until the Chinese New Year. It is worth noting that Dabaodao is focusing on preparations for the main event during the Spring Festival—the Qingdao Radish, Yuanxiao, and Tanghulu Fair. This year's fair will feature three distinct areas, including a Tanghulu market, a tech interaction zone, a time-honored brand food street, and an immersive intangible cultural heritage lantern experience area, presenting a winter festival that blends tradition and trend for citizens and tourists. The "Shangjieli Guangjieli" festival, a local slogan inviting people to "Go Downtown, Stroll the Old Streets", is also under preparation, aiming to continuously cultivate a "sense of ceremony" for the New Year in the old town, activate commercial vitality, and bring more exciting experiences to the public. (By Cao Sen, Yu Ruixin of Qingdao Daily/Guanhai News; Photo by Xing Zhifeng)
Editor: Yuan Ruichen
