What Festivals & Events Are Held in Chifeng?

Recreational activities in Chifeng are steeped in authentic Mongolian ethnic charm. Mongolian song and dance shine as brilliant treasures in the global repository of cultural and artistic heritage. The traditional Naadam Festival is a mass Mongolian gathering featuring singing, dancing, wrestling, archery, horse racing and other competitive games, with athletic contests taking centre stage. Such competitions permeate nearly every facet of Mongolian life: various contests of varying scales and styles are held during spring horse mane trimming, Aobao worship rituals and wedding ceremonies.

Besides cultural experiences on grassland tours in Chifeng, visitors can also try paragliding, sand sliding, speedboat rides, kayaking, swimming, angling, aquatic games and desert camel caravan expeditions.

From July to August, the Gongger Grassland in Hexigten Banner boasts crisp autumn weather and rolling green waves. Flocks of sheep blend into floating white clouds, galloping horses surge like billowing tides, and clusters of pure white yurts dot the steppe like scattered pearls. The grassland Naadam Festival symbolises joy, auspiciousness and harvest celebration, serving as a grand assembly for ethnic unity. Young maidens adorned like blooming flowers hold white Hada scarves to greet guests from afar; teenage Mongolian performers deliver light, graceful dances showcasing the vitality of contemporary youth. Teams of Bokh wrestlers stand poised and vigorous, embodying valour and strength while conveying friendship and sincerity. A spectacular formation of one hundred mounted riders embodies the bold, broad-minded spirit of the Mongolian people, displaying the resolve and pride of grassland residents.

Falling on the 25th day of the 10th lunar month, families light butter lamps after nightfall to mark the festival. Today, most Mongolians in Hoboksar Mongolian Autonomous County and Emin County no longer observe the Lamp Lighting Festival; Mongolians in Usu City rarely light lamps on this day, instead celebrating with diverse recreational activities. Traditional pastimes include horse racing, camel racing, wrestling, archery, tug-of-war, folk ballad singing, horse-head fiddle performances, recitations of the epic Janggar and folk dances. Torghut Mongolian dances consist of group dances, solos, pas de deux and dance accompaniment to songs, featuring elegant, unrestrained movements unique to steppe ethnic groups.

“Naadam” translates to “entertainment and games” in Mongolian, referring to the traditional mass Mongolian gathering dating back to the early 13th century. Early Naadam featured only one competitive event among archery, horse racing or Bokh wrestling. Modern Naadam retains the traditional Three Manly Sports — Bokh wrestling, horse racing and archery — while adding new attractions such as Ulan Muqir theatrical troupes, film screenings and bonfire galas. Trade fairs, commodity exchanges and model worker commendations are also integrated into the programme. This ancient celebration has been greatly enriched and revitalised, evolving into an all-encompassing grassland gala combining cultural performances, sports, trade and tourism. The iconic Three Manly Sports fully showcase the splendid culture of the horseback nation. Time: Generally held in the 6th or 7th lunar month; consult official annual announcements for exact dates.

Launched in 2006, the Hongshan Culture Festival takes place in Chifeng every August as the city’s flagship large-scale festival integrating trade, tourism and culture. Hongshan Culture derives its name from Hongshan Mountain in Chifeng, where its relics were first discovered. Centered along the Xilamulun and Laoha River basins, it spans an area of 200,000 square kilometres, dating back 5,000 to 6,000 years and persisting for roughly 2,000 years. Representing the distinctive culture of ancient northern China centred on Chifeng, Hongshan Culture draws worldwide attention. Each year’s festival not only highlights the profound connotations of Hongshan Culture but also incorporates Chifeng’s ethnic and regional characteristics, offering visitors a rich cultural feast.

Hosted in Balin Right Banner every August to September, the Balin Stone Festival attracts experts, scholars and stone enthusiasts at home and abroad. Renowned among stone admirers and sculptors for its exquisite texture, natural veining and diverse colour palette, Balin Stone’s top-grade chicken blood stone is hailed as a national treasure. Festival events include an opening ceremony with theatrical performances, a closing ceremony, Balin Stone auctions, premium Balin Stone exhibitions, collectible showcases, a Balin Stone Cultural Industry Summit Forum, Balin ethnic cultural relic displays, project promotion and trade talks, ethnic handicraft expos, the 3rd Daqi Town Naadam Festival, youth skill demonstrations, fireworks galas, religious rituals at Huifu Temple, grassland sightseeing, fine livestock appraisal, grassland Naadam festivities, plus horse racing, Bokh wrestling, archery and tug-of-war contests.

Held at the end of each year, the Dalin Lake Ice Fishing Festival features lake-offering rituals, lake worship ceremonies, ice fishing, ice sculptures, skiing and ice skating. Located in Hexigten Banner, Chifeng, Dalin Lake spans 238 square kilometres, ranking as Inner Mongolia’s second-largest lake. Ice fishing at Dalin Lake is a time-honoured heritage passed down through generations. The whole spectacle on the ice-covered lake is breathtaking: from lake worship and net awakening, ice breaking and hole drilling, pole positioning and net hauling to hauling up the catch, every stage forms a picturesque, unique scene that appeals deeply to urban winter tourists.

Hosted on New Year’s Day each year in Darhan Uul Township, Hexigten Banner, the Silver Winter Camel Culture Festival takes place in a region long known as the “Land of Camels”, a major habitat for domestic Bactrian camels with millennia of distinctive local camel culture. Herders ride camels to grand gatherings including weddings, Spring Festival celebrations and Aobao worship, and camel racing has become a key ethnic sport. Drawing on hundreds of local camels, horse herds and thousands of years of ethnic heritage, the festival displays traditional Mongolian pastoral life via camel- and horse-drawn Lelo wooden carts, brimming with unique ethnic charm.

Held around New Year’s Day, the Hexigten World Steam Locomotive Photography Festival takes place along the Jitong Railway, where trains are pulled by double steam engines. Trains travel slowly on this stretch, belching thick plumes of steam ideal for dramatic photography, earning it recognition as a top-tier Class A shooting location. Mr. Steve, director of the International Steam Locomotive Association, praised the Hexigten section of the Jitong Railway as “the world’s finest steam locomotive photography destination”. In winter, mountains and rivers are blanketed in snow. Steam locomotives wind through rugged peaks, their thunderous roars echoing amid billowing white steam, creating a spectacular, awe-inspiring landscape.