Jinan will stage the 2026 Jinan International Festival of Springs from July 10 to Aug 10, offering a month-long celebration of the city's famed springs through cultural performances, immersive experiences, and consumer events.

Centered around the Jinan World's Best Spring Scenic Area and the Mingfu Ancient City, the festival has grown into one of the city's signature events since its launch more than a decade ago, serving both to preserve Jinan's spring heritage and to invigorate tourism and local spending.

The festivities will open on July 10 with a ceremony at Chaoran Tower Square. Over the following month, 25 major events will showcase the city's rich cultural legacy, from its spring traditions to the poetry of Song Dynasty luminaries Li Qingzhao (1084–1155) and Xin Qiji (1140–1207). Highlights include a spring-themed torch relay, poetry gatherings, costumes tours, and an artificial intelligence-assisted concert.

To encourage hands-on participation, organizers have planned a range of interactive activities, including spring-themed check-in tours, pop-up performances, folk music shows, water-splashing events, nighttime visits to Baotu Spring and performances aboard boats on Daming Lake.

A series of consumer-oriented programs, such as a lotus-themed shopping season, a craft beer fair, and a spring-themed market, will complement the cultural offerings and help energize Jinan's summer tourism and nighttime economy.

The festival will also feature international exchange activities, including a photo exhibition marking the friendship between Jinan and the French city Rennes, as well as visits by overseas guests and journalism students from Hong Kong, who will share their perspectives on the City of Springs.

The 2026 Jinan International Festival of Springs runs from July 10 to Aug 10. [Photo/WeChat account: quanyoujinan]