Guangzhou's Liwan district is gearing up for the upcoming Liwan Flower Fair, promising a blend of traditional Lingnan culture and modern festivities. The new edition of the flower fair will feature a pair of innovative archways, a variety of exciting activities, and a focus on environmental sustainability, all contributing to a vibrant celebration of the Chinese New Year.

A blend of past and future

In 2024, the Liwan Flower Fair will debut a unique design with "North-South" dual archways. The southern archway draws inspiration from the Chen Clan's Academy arch, a representative of Cantonese architecture, seamlessly merging traditional and modern Lingnan styles. The northern archway showcases a futuristic theme with a digitized dragon, incorporating elements of the dragon year creatively. Both archways symbolize the rejuvenation of the 14 historical and cultural districts in Liwan District.

To enhance the festive vibe, a spectacular light show will be hosted at the northern archway, utilizing advanced LED screens and programming systems to create a visually stunning experience. This immersive display aims to captivate residents and visitors, providing a unique glimpse of Liwan District as the cultural center of Lingnan.

Introducing the waterborne flower market

The Liwan Flower Fair will present a diverse range of activities, including a waterborne flower market, a cultural park flower festival, a flower and fruit expo, and Lingnan flower market. In addition, 38 convenient flower and kumquat selling points across 13 streets and an online flower market will also be established.

The waterborne flower market, a century-old national flower market event, will showcase "Miss Xiguan" in festive attire, sailing on twelve special flower boats themed around Lingnan flowers, Cantonese culture, and the Year of the Dragon. Multiple art performances, including Cantonese opera, renowned artists, and traditional lantern riddles, will create a lively atmosphere on Liwan Lake.

The Guangzhou Cultural Park will host the 2024 Spring Festival flower show under the theme of "Vibrant Bay Area, Colorful Guangzhou." The exhibition will feature 40 groups of garden lanterns, exquisite floral displays, and various high-quality flowers and fruits, continuing the tradition of "Celebrating the New Year in Guangzhou, Admiring Flowers in the Flower City." The flower show will be complemented by cultural activities, such as calligraphy and painting exhibitions, literary performances, and cultural heritage demonstrations.

"Huishi Cat" takes the stage

A highlight of this year's Liwan Flower Fair is the introduction of the regional public brand, "Xiguan Cuisine," represented by the mascot "Huishi Cat." Inspired by the regional culture and the Cantonese term "wai sik maau" (foodie cat), this unique new mascot aims to embody the spirit of Liwan's culinary tradition. The fair will showcase the latest Foodie Cat IP cultural and creative products, featuring various cat characters representing different aspects of Liwan culture, adding charm and appeal to the event.

New experience: intangible cultural heritage exhibitions

The 2024 Liwan Flower Fair will feature a variety of intangible cultural heritage activities, including traditional Cantonese opera performances, intricate Guangcai (Cantonese porcelain) displays, and vibrant paper-cutting demonstrations. These activities aim to bring the rich history hidden in Liwan's ancient houses, stories flowing on the banks of the Litchi Bay, and texts written in ancient books to life, empowering cultural heritage with contemporary vitality.