From marathon to marketplace, sports meet culture in Shandong

A significant event unfolded in Dongming county – located in Heze city in East China's Shandong province – on Oct 15.

The occasion marked the simultaneous staging of the Xuyang Cup Yellow River Ecological Marathon and the Heze Autumn Yellow River Grand Fair.

In a concerted effort to blend sports, culture and tourism, the organizers went the extra mile to create a combined event that embraced the fusion of "sports + tourism + culture + merchandise".

At the main venue which hosted the Yellow River Grand Fair exhibition, there was an impressive array of 70 stands.

These displayed a diverse range of local products, including Dongming grain paintings – an intangible cultural heritage in Shandong – as well as agricultural and pastoral goods, handcrafted crochet items and traditional blue-printed cloth.

This offered a comprehensive glimpse into the local way of life and its cultural heritage. Some stands even conducted on-the-spot production, attracting visiting athletes, volunteers and folks from across the country.

Dongming Watermelon Sauce proves to be a hit with visitors. [Photo by Zhou Tong for chinadaily.com.cn]

Guo Anjun, head of Ji'an (Dongming) Agriculture & Animal Husbandry Co. Ltd, said the event was great.

"In support of the Yellow River Grand Fair and the marathon, I brought my company's products, including free-range eggs, pasteurized eggs, stewing hens and mutton," he added.

Overall, the offerings helped boost consumer spending driven by the Yellow River Grand Fair and the marathon. (Edited by Zhou Yunlai)