Performers present the dragon dance at a festive parade in Chongren town of Shengzhou, Zhejiang province to celebrate this year's Lantern Festival on Feb 19. [Photo by Zhang Liangzong]

Festive activities featuring distinctive folk culture showed up in Chongren town of Shengzhou, Zhejiang province to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which fell on Feb 19 this year.

Chongren, known as the cradle of Yueju Opera, is an ancient town with a history of nearly 1,000 years. A variety of impressive traditions have been bred here thanks to its long history and profound culture.

Villagers in the town dressed up in colorful costumes and demonstrated their talent in dragon and lion dances, Yueju Opera and other cultural performances in celebration of the Lantern Festival, a traditional Chinese festival which is celebrated on the 15th day of the first month in the lunar calendar.

People beat waist drums in a parade in Chongren town of Shengzhou, Zhejiang province to celebrate this year's Lantern Festival on Feb 19. The drum team is made up of local female residents. [Photo by Zhou Jianshi]

Xie Gang, director of Chongren town, said they hope to create a joyous, harmonious and civilized atmosphere for the festival by showcasing the elegance of the ancient town and the excellent local culture.