Come to Shandong and experience a trendy new kind of market fair

Today, across the Qilu region — along the Yellow River, beside the canals and near the Bohai Bay — traditional markets are undergoing a vibrant transformation. Once rural bazaars mainly for trading daily goods, they have evolved into dynamic cultural hubs: young visitors come to check in and take photos, netizens watch live streams online, and resources circulate smoothly between urban and rural areas.

In Shandong, going to a market fair is no longer merely about buying daily necessities. It is an encounter with revitalised traditions, a taste of the vitality of urban-rural integration, and an expression of cultural confidence.

At the Yellow River Fair in Dongming, Heze, local artists create grain paintings using the natural colours of grains, depicting scenes inspired by the Yellow River landscape grain by grain.

Zibo's Badaju Convenience Market preserves the everyday bustle of local life — its vegetable stalls and street snacks — while adding specialty shops and stands offering cultural and creative products, Zibo coloured glaze and intangible cultural heritage delicacies.

Source: Haoke Shandong WeChat

The Caowa Market in Linshu, Linyi, draws more than 100,000 visitors each opening day, while its online cloud fair has earned over 400 million views.

Photo by Li Xiaodong

Walk into the Nature Craft Block at the south gate of Quancheng Park, where a cluster of hidden-gem brands gather. Here you can find fun cultural merchandise, trendy apparel, themed exhibitions, coffee and desserts.

Photo by Shao Kai, Jinan Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism

With a history of more than 300 years and signature delicacies such as seafood huibing (flatbread stewed with seafood), the Poli Fair in Qingdao has formed its unique market consumption style.

Source: Haoke Shandong WeChat

Welcome to Shandong. Come join this timeless yet fashionable gathering at these lively fairs. Amid the hustle and bustle, feel the enduring cultural vitality rooted in this land.

(Reported by Liang Yong Qi from Dazhong Daily in Heze)