January 7 this year coincided with the traditional Chinese Laba Festival where the 2025 Shandong Province Marine Bazaar Spring Festival was held in Qingdao's Chengyang District. With the theme "Savor Shandong, Embrace Tradition, Celebrate Together," the event featured diverse activities and exhibitions, offering residents and visitors a unique marine cultural experience. The festival celebrated Shandong's maritime heritage and festive spirit. Vice Chairman Duan Qingying of the Shandong Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) attended the opening ceremony.

Co-hosted by Shandong Radio and Television Station and the CPC Qingdao Municipal Publicity Department under the supervision of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee's Publicity Department, Qingdao Broadcasting and Television Station organized the 2025 Shandong Province Marine Bazaar Spring Festival Opening Ceremony, Chengyang District Publicity Department, and other local entities at Jincheng Road in Chengyang District—a historic site with over 400 years of tradition as the location of the Chengyang Market Fair. It is also home to northern China's largest seafood trading hub, the Chengyang Seafood Wholesale Market, which perfectly aligns with the Marine Bazaar theme.

Shandong Province's recent implementation of the Yellow River Basin Ecological Protection and High-Quality Development Strategy involves delving into traditional folk customs to enrich cultural life, revive consumer activity, and energize economic growth. To bring high-quality cultural resources directly to communities, the Shandong Province administration has upgraded its Yellow River Fairs series to emphasize regional characteristics and urban uniqueness. Hence the simultaneous opening ceremonies of the Yellow River Fair, Canal Market, and Marine Bazaar Spring Festivals in Jining, Liaocheng, and Qingdao, respectively during the Laba Festival.

The Marine Bazaar Spring Festival opening ceremony began with the vibrant and festive performance "Dragon Auspices and Lion Blessings," followed by marine-themed acts such as the song-and-dance show "Along the Yellow River to the Sea" and the award-winning "Fishing Drum Dance" from the Shandong Province-level square dancing competition. The Qingdao Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau took the opportunity to promote winter tourism attractions, featuring 260 special events and 386 consumer-friendly cultural initiatives. Leading local enterprises, including Haier Group, Tsingtao Brewery, Guoxin Holdings Group, and Qingdao Beverage Group, showcased premium products. The second season of the documentary "The Yellow River Flows East to the Sea" was also officially released during the event.

The Marine Bazaar featured a diverse range of activities, including an intangible cultural heritage market, public art classes, live folk displays, a collaborative 100-meter scroll painting titled "A Thousand Blessings," traditional fishing village art performances, and a smart home appliance trade-in promotion. Over 100 official booths were set up, alongside additional stalls and shops from the Chengyang Market Fair, totaling more than 800 in a wide variety showcase of products including handcrafted items, heritage foods, specialty seafood, and smart home goods. Unique offerings from coastal cities like Weifang, Rizhao, and Dongying also made an appearance. The Fourth Modern Gongbi Painting Exhibition was held as a satellite event, fostering marine culture, preserving maritime traditions, and supporting the development of the marine economy.

The event attracted approximately 80,000 visitors on the day of the opening ceremony. In addition to the main ceremony, Qingdao has organized a comprehensive schedule of Marine Bazaar Spring Festival-themed cultural activities. Areas, streets, communities, and cultural venues all across the city will launch a series of events including the Qingdao Sugar Ball Fair, the third New Year Street Festival, the Ancient City New Year celebration, the Tianheng Sea Rituals Folk Culture Festival, and various live-streaming sales events. These activities will continue to engage residents and tourists, sustaining the festive atmosphere throughout the season.

Director Wei Yuxiu of the Shandong Provincial CPPCC's Committee on Culture, Historical Data and Studies and Vice Chairman Bo Tao of the Qingdao Municipal CPPCC was in attendance during the event, along with Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Qingdao Municipal Committee and Head of the Publicity Department Liu Shengqin who also delivered a speech.