The 2025 Lishui Photography Festival is set to launch on Nov 7, transforming the entire city into a stage of visual arts that truly belongs to its residents. Breaking from conventional formats, this year's festival embraces the community with an open-air opening ceremony.

The streets will come alive with a grand parade featuring local intangible cultural heritage on Nov 8. Residents will have the chance to witness traditional dragon dances merging with contemporary artistic expressions along the 2.8-kilometer downtown route.

As part of the festival, a youth fair at Guyan Huaxiang will feature interactive activities highlighting the city's youthful energy, including immersive performances and live music. The festival will also embrace technological covenience through a mobile photography contest, allowing residents to become active participants, with selected works earning official exhibition space.

Community engagement remains central to the festival's spirit. The ongoing Seven Alleys project has transformed ordinary neighborhoods into creative spaces, while various initiatives allow residents to engage with photography in their daily environment.

Lishui is now recognized by enthusiasts as having the highest photography participation rate among cities nationwide, making it a true photography city where the visual arts thrive at both professional and community levels.