On April 19, a series of themed activities were launched in the Tongzhou District of Beijing, marking the beginning of the 2024 Grand Canal Transport-launching Festival. This traditional event symbolizes the start of water transport for grain to the capital via the canal in ancient days. From April 19 to May 18, dozens of wonderful events will be held, including the Grand Canal Food Festival, the traditional Hanfu Garden Party, and book reading activities for World Book and Copyright Day.

From April 19 to 21, the Taste of the Canal - Grand Canal Food Festival will take place at the Beijing International Fortune Center. Visitors can indulge in over a dozen delicacies sourced from regions along the canal.

From April 20 to 21, the traditional Hanfu Garden Party will be held in the Three Temples and One Pagoda Scenic Area, where visitors can immerse themselves in the charm of the ancient temples while touring the traditional Chinese-style market.

From April 19 to 20, the children's play "The Mystery of the Lighthouse Pagoda" will be staged at the Tongzhou District Cultural Center, helping the audience to understand the rich history of the 1,400-year-old lighthouse pagoda and the 2,500-year-old Grand Canal.

During the period, many other activities will be arranged in the canal transport wharf and the Three Temples and One Pagoda Scenic Area. These include a photo exhibition marking the 10th anniversary of listing the Grand Canal as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the study tour highlighting the Grand Canal as an intangible cultural heritage site.

During the festival, visitors can enjoy specially designed floral boats for the Grand Canal Transport-launching Festival to experience the new events along the Grand Canal. Four boats are available for sightseeing during the festival. Departing from Pier Two at 9:30, 10:45, 14:00, and 15:30 daily, they will travel to the canal transport wharf before returning to Pier Two. The entire journey takes about 60 minutes.

Beijing residents and tourists can enjoy a half-price discount by booking tickets through the official WeChat mini-program "Beijing Tongzhou Grand Canal Cultural Scenic Area" or the WeChat official account "Beijing Grand Canal Cultural Tour." Additionally, they can obtain exclusive boat tickets for the Grand Canal Transport-launching Festival from the above accounts.

(Sources: Beijing Release, Beijing Daily App, Beijing Tongzhou)