In June in Lanzhou, the Yellow River rushes and the summer breeze is warm. The 2026 Lanzhou Marathon has just wrapped up in great fanfare, and the city is once again leveraging the golden window of opportunity for Children's Day, China Cultural and Natural Heritage Day, and Dragon Boat Festival to gather crowds and boost growth through diverse cultural and tourism activities across the region. Reporters learned that in the coming month, Lanzhou's cultural and tourism departments coordinated resources at the provincial, municipal, and county levels, linking art troupes, cultural venues, scenic districts, and business district enterprises to launch the exciting all-region event "Passing the Baton from Lanma to Summer and Connecting to Langjin City." From provincial-level performances to community neighborhood activities, from scenic area benefit policies to cross-sector collaborations in business districts, a 30-day, city-wide cultural tourism feast is unfolding across Jincheng.
A variety of plays were present
Diverse performances light up Jincheng's summer nights
In June, Gansu Performing Arts Group staged 21 high-quality commercial performances in Lanzhou, creating a performance pattern of "weekly blockbusters and highlights every show." According to the official schedule, this month's program covers drama, stage plays, opera, concerts, stand-up comedy, and more, greatly enriching the nighttime cultural life of citizens and tourists.
Among them, the Red Army's Long March-themed drama "The Lights of Hadapu," created and performed by the Gansu Provincial Drama Theater, will be spectacularly staged at the People's Theatre on June 18 and 19. Set against the backdrop of the Red Army's Long March passing through Hadapu, Gansu in 1935, the play tells the turning point when the Red Army discovered the Shaanbei Soviet Area through a "Ta Kung Pao" newspaper and established a northward strategy. Using the imagery of "lanterns/lights," it connects the military and civilian bonds and the light of faith in a red epic drama.
Mr. Lao She's classic work "Teahouse" will be spectacularly performed at the Gansu Grand Theatre on June 7, attracting a large number of drama enthusiasts to the theater. Meanwhile, the hilarious stage play "Earl of Wulong Mountain," presented by the well-known domestic theater brand "Happy Mahua," will be performed twice at the Gansu Grand Theatre. Its humorous and witty style complements "Teahouse" sharply to meet young audiences' needs for lighthearted entertainment.
In traditional opera, the appearance of Qinqiang opera's "Spring Boudoir Dream" is not just a performance but also a tribute to the roots of Northwest traditional culture. In addition, targeting different audience groups, this month has also arranged the "Pop Golden Hits Concert," the Young Singer Feiyang Concert, and the Liang Haiyuan stand-up show special. This dual-track model of "high art + pop culture" effectively broke down barriers to cultural consumption circles, allowing Lanzhou's performing arts market to show unprecedented prosperity in June.
Wen Run's golden city
Spend the summer in museums and theaters
Lanzhou's municipal-level cultural venues will fully leverage their role as platforms for public cultural services in June, planning and launching a total of 29 diverse and rich public benefit activities.
As the core of the city's artistic production, Lanzhou Grand Theatre is launching the "Yellow River · Lanzhou 2026 Music Season" series of symphonic concerts titled "Timeless Classics" and "Impressions of China." While presenting Western classical masterpieces, it also focuses on showcasing original Chinese works, uncovering hidden gems in the history of Chinese and foreign music, and presenting multiple commemorative special performances, striving to showcase the beauty of Chinese music through grand movements.
The large-scale multimedia choral drama "The Song of Nie Er," conducted by young conductor Wei Xudong, will be spectacularly staged at the Lanzhou Concert Hall from June 29 to July 1. The play combines modern multimedia technology with classic choral singing to innovatively tell the life story of the people's musician Nie Er, becoming a vivid "red ideological and political lesson."
The activities at our city's cultural and museum venues are equally spectacular. Lanzhou Museum closely follows the Dragon Boat Festival and Children's Day milestones by launching "Dragon Boat Festival Health and Well-being" themed social education activities and ancient book promotion activities, allowing children to feel the warmth of traditional culture through handicrafts; Lanzhou City Library, relying on its main library and branch branches at the Central Square, has organized a series of nationwide reading activities such as parent-child reading and picture book storytelling, spreading the fragrance of books to every corner of the city; The Eighth Route Army Lanzhou Office Memorial Hall will further explore red resources and carry out a series of community and campus lecture activities, striving to revitalize the red gene with new vitality in the new era.
Full-domain coordination
Grassroots activities highlight regional characteristics
If provincial and municipal activities support the "backbone" of Lanzhou's cultural tourism, then the five districts of Chengguan, Qilihe, Xigu, Anning, and Honggu, as well as Yongdeng, Yuzhong, and Gaolan counties, plus 99 grassroots events in Lanzhou New Area, fill the most down-to-earth "flesh and blood."
Leveraging the resource advantages of the provincial capital's central urban area, Chengguan District will host a series of events such as the "Women's Reading" to highlight women's strength and cultural literacy; Qilihe District held mass cultural performances near the Yellow River Mother sculpture and in major communities, making ordinary people the main stars on stage; Anning District, taking into account the numerous universities in its jurisdiction, focuses on promoting intangible cultural heritage exhibitions into campuses, making every effort to ensure the continuous transmission of ancient skills among young people; The "People's Grand Stage" held in Xigu District adheres to the principles of "mass production, mass performance, and public viewing," truly achieving cultural benefits for the people; Through cultural tours, Honggu District extends cultural services to remote villages.
In the three counties and Lanzhou New Area, the event further highlighted regional characteristics. Yongdeng County's Dragon Boat Festival handmade experience event sincerely invites visitors to make sachets and weave colorful ropes by hand; Yuzhong County has taken advantage of its beautiful environment to continuously carry out reading promotion activities; Gaolan County sincerely invites renowned artists and emerging talents to host a lively and exciting "Opera Enters the Countryside" event, striving to bring classic works to resonate with Qinqiang opera in the fields; Lanzhou New District vividly showcases its cultural inclusiveness through a variety of folk experience activities.
It can be said that these activities will further enrich the leisure life of the public and enhance Lanzhou's sense of happiness as a livable and tourist-friendly city.
Enjoying the beauty of the mountains and rivers
88 special events to heat up summer tourism
In response to the upcoming summer tourism peak, major scenic spots in Lanzhou took the lead in June, launching 88 special events and implementing unprecedented public benefit policies.
As a newly popular attraction, Lanzhou Ink Water Danxia Tourist Attraction has launched ticket discounts and waivers for students taking the high school and college entrance exam entrance exams, regularly staging immersive live performances called "Dancing Horse Danxia," perfectly blending geological wonders with historical culture. In addition to regularly staging the large-scale historical stage play "Western Millennium," Lanzhou Wildlife Park also offers "Little Keepers" study tours and camping activities for Children's Day and Dragon Boat Festival, allowing children to enjoy a joyful holiday in close contact with nature.
As a new landmark for night tours in Lanzhou, the Lanzhou Yellow River Tower Scenic Area continues its large-scale live light and shadow performance "Ode to the Yellow River: Great Lanzhou" in June, telling the story of the Yellow River through modern technology, making it a must-visit for visitors to check in at Lanzhou's night views. In addition, Shichuan Ancient Pear Orchard enters its most beautiful season in June, accompanied by lush greenery and century-old trees, hosting unique performances such as Lanzhou drums, attracting many photography enthusiasts and tourists to cool off and enjoy themselves.
Cross-industry collaboration
Consumption activities are integrated into cultural tourism scenarios
To further unleash consumption potential, Lanzhou is actively exploring new models for integrated development of "culture, sports, commerce, and tourism." In June, the city's major core business districts planned 149 linked events, bringing cultural performances into shopping malls and integrating promotional activities into cultural tourism scenarios.
Among them, large commercial complexes such as Lanzhou MixC, Lanzhou Center, and Shanshan Outlets have become new carriers for cultural activities. Drone formations will light up the Lanzhou night sky, and children's plays and crosstalk performances will be staged one after another. These events will make the mall not only a shopping venue but also a destination for family leisure and entertainment.
Leveraging the lingering momentum of Lanzhou, multiple business districts will also host fun runs, fitness challenges, and other events to promote healthy lifestyles and boost consumption of sports equipment, dining, and other related products. This cross-industry collaboration not only extends tourists' stay in Lanzhou but also effectively drives the chain of accommodation, dining, and transportation, achieving a win-win for both economic and social benefits.
Looking at the entire June, Lanzhou's cultural tourism market exhibited characteristics of "all-day, all-region, and all-age groups." From the provincial-level troupes of the "Spring Snow" to the self-entertainment in community squares, from the magnificent and extraordinary ink wash Danxia to the bustling life along the Yellow River banks, Lanzhou is welcoming every guest from afar with a more open, confident, and diverse attitude.
A relevant official from the Lanzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism stated: "By precisely grasping the timing of key points, deeply exploring cultural connotations, and optimizing product supply, we strive to extend June's 'holiday economy' into a 'monthly economy' and transform 'transit tours' into 'overnight tours.' This summer, we proved through our actions that the banks of the Yellow River not only offer magnificent natural scenery, but also rich cultural heritage and vibrant urban passion." (Chief reporter Li Chao, trainee reporter Zhang Jing, text/photos)