A beach-featured carnival exclusive to Qingdao kicked off when the 33rd Qingdao International Beach Festival was inaugurated in the Qingdao First Bathing Beach on October 13.

“There are many tiny wooden huts by the beach, with umbrella-shaped canopies placed outside. Some people lie on their backs, some swim in the sea and tread water waves. Children enjoy picking up shells on the beach without wearing clothes.” These are the scenes on the beach as written by Mr. Wen Yiduo in his essay “Qingdao”.

Qingdao prides itself on soft sandy beaches, shadow and limpid sea water and refreshing sea breezes. Beaches are the most preferred sites to have sports and enjoy leisurely time. Place yourself in one of the nine bathing beaches, you can have sweeping views of Qingdao where mountains, seas and cityscape set off each other beautifully.

      Qingdao is the sole Chinese city to hold a festival dedicated to beaches for more than three decades in a row. In the 33th Qingdao International Beach Festival, beach sports of all kinds provide new ways to find amusement on beaches. Sea paddling, beach volleyball, beach judo, martial arts, shuttlecock, diabolo and other sports fill beaches up with joy. Tourists can feast their eyes on cultural exhibitions on beach sculpture, beach painting, pen drawing and traditional Chinese painting. Melodious music is played in beach concerts, and beach weddings foster pure romance. Fine sandy beaches between remote seas and a vast expanse of land provide ideal places for people across the city to sing and amuse themselves.  (Wang Wei)

A tug-of-war contest in the 33rd Qingdao International Beach Festival.  By Yang Renrui