A sprawling Music & Food Festival was launched on October 15th at the ongoing 138th Canton Fair (Oct. 15-Nov. 4), offering global traders more than just business deals.
The event, running through November 4 at the Central Square, West Side of Area D at the China Import and Export Complex, transforms the fairgrounds with Cantonese culinary demonstrations, cultural performances, and tasting opportunities that allow traders to savor southern China's rich food heritage.
Within a 4,000-square-meter garden-style open-air plaza, this year's festival features live piano and band music performances, along with a specially curated "Guangdong Cuisine Masters' Workshop."
Five master chefs are taking turns on stage to demonstrate the techniques behind classic dishes. A complimentary tasting session allows guests to sample the chefs' creations up close.
Attendees can enjoy delicacies such as Braised Pigeon, freshly grilled prawns, and Premium Young Female Crab baked in aged Hua Diao wine with salt – a signature dish from the Danjia People (indigenous fishermen living at sea in southern China).
The Danjia dishes, recognized as part of Guangzhou's intangible cultural heritage, are a highlight. Signature items like Clay Pot Rice with Danjia Cured Meats and Anchovy Roe have captivated countless food enthusiasts.
The festival brings together nearly 40 brands, including time-honored local establishments, international brands, intangible cultural heritage foods, and regional specialties.
Canton Fair participants can taste core products like Siu Mai (pork and shrimp dumplings) and steamed or pan-fried dumplings, crafted using Guangzhou's intangible cultural heritage techniques.
International flavors from brands like Starbucks, KFC, Sharmaji Indian Cuisine, and a Saudi café also enhance the culinary offerings.
Furthermore, the event is distributing a total of 100 million RMB in dining vouchers. Guangzhou residents and Canton Fair attendees located within a 3km radius of the Central Square, West Side of Area D, can claim vouchers offering discounts of up to 200 RMB via the UnionPay App. These vouchers are valid at over 3,000 participating catering outlets across the city. An on-site stamp collection activity is also available, where collecting five stamps allows participants to exchange them for limited-edition food-themed cultural and creative gifts.
“This Music & Food Festival warmly invites global merchants to share the opportunities presented by the Canton Fair and witness the vibrant dynamism and promising future of Guangzhou, a millennium-old commercial capital", said an event organizer.
Reporter | Huang Xinyi
Photo | Guangzhou Municipal Commerce Bureau
Editor | Hu Nan, James Campion, Shen He
