A participant competes in the wheelbarrow push race. [Photo/Tide News]

The Harvest Sports Carnival of the 5th Zhejiang Provincial Sports Congress kicked off in Xianju county, Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang province, on Sept 20. Delegations from Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, Fujian, and Shandong, alongside participants from across Zhejiang, gathered to celebrate rural culture through sports.

With the theme "Sports for All, Harvest for Villages", the event included competitions, folk activities, cultural displays, and local food. The highlight was the harvest games, where traditional farming scenes were turned into lively contests. Events included tug-of-war in fields, fish catching in mud ponds, shoulder-pole water carrying, pig herding races, and wheelbarrow pushes. These contests tested strength, coordination, and speed, while cheers from the crowd created a festive atmosphere.

Visitors also explored Xianju's harvest culture through side activities. At Shanghengjie village, intangible cultural heritage like lantern making, opera face painting, and straw shoe weaving drew participants to hands-on experiences. At the local harvest market, farm products, tools, and handicrafts were on display, offering tourists a chance to taste regional food and buy specialties.

The carnival is part of Xianju's efforts to combine sports with tourism, supporting farmers' income and boosting rural development. Since early this year, Xianju has hosted 17 major events, attracted 48,000 participants, and generated about 46 million yuan ($6.46 million).