People love to travel when there is a festival happening because they know that a lot of activities will take place and they will not only be entertained but also learn from the culturally and historically rich experiences. This is true not only in the Philippines but in other countries as well, such as in the Sichuan Province of China, which is best known for its fiery and spicy regional cuisine.
The 2026 Sichuan Ganzi Mountain Culture and Tourism Festival just took place at the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture at Sichuan Province last July, and tourists flocked to the place to witness the unique event that seemed to come straight out of Chinese period films.
Featuring a diverse range of activities, which include nomadic culture performances, intangible cultural heritage (ICH) exhibitions, and folk customs experiences, the 2026 edition of the Sichuan Ganzi Mountain Culture and Tourism Festival showcased the region’s unique nomadic culture with modern cultural tourism development.
The event attracted numerous visitors eager to experience the charm of grassland culture, which they started to feel right at the opening ceremonies, which transformed Yuke Grassland into a natural stage. Local herders drove cattle across the vast grasslands, carrying black yak-hair tents traditionally used by Kham pastoralists and holding urdah, which are traditional stone-throwing ropes used by Tibetan herders for livestock management.
The scenes vividly recreated the millennia-old nomadic lifestyle of Kham communities, who have long followed seasonal migration routes in search of water and pasture.
Behind the Tibetan herders came a grand procession of heavy cavalry and the legendary Gesar riders. Riders in traditional attire galloped across the grassland, valiant and heroic in bearing.
Next came a vibrant parade of ethnic costumes showcasing Pulu, a traditional Tibetan handwoven wool textile, alongside modern tailoring designs to highlight the blending of ancient culture and modern fashion.
“As the scenes of nomadic migration gradually unfolded before my eyes, a long-lost yearning for a simpler pastoral life suddenly welled up within me,” said Zhang, a visitor who traveled from Beijing to specifically witness the event.
He added: “My whole family loves the grassland lifestyle in Daofu. It is something you cannot experience in the city.”
His words more than summed up the experience visitors had during the event.
The Sichuan Ganzi Mountain Culture and Tourism Festival has had seven successful editions, with this year’s edition featuring eight major events, including the Ganzi 1,000-person ICH livestream showcase and the fashion-inspired Guozhuang gala.
A range of grassland market activities – such as ICH workshops, local produce exhibitions, local food tasting, and music-themed leisure gatherings – also offered visitors an immersive cultural experience.
Daofu County, where the event took place, is situated in China’s northwestern Sichuan Province, with an average summer temperature of around 24°C. It boasts of a remarkable blend of natural landscapes – including Yala Snow Mountain, Stone Forest Park, Yuke Grassland, alpine meadows, and Tianlong Lake – as well as cultural heritage, such as Kham traditions and the Highland Silk Road.
Over a five-year period, starting from July 2021 to June 2026, Daofu County received a cumulative total of 10.4123 million tourists, thus generating nearly 11.454 billion yuan in tourism revenue.