Tai'an kicked off its Cultural Consumption Season - a three-month extravaganza of exciting events and cultural performances - with an evening gala featuring joyful and distinctive folk music, dances and martial arts demonstrations on July 26 at the Tai'an Culture and Arts Center.

An exciting drum performance is staged during the opening ceremony of the first Cultural Consumption Season in Tai'an, Shandong province on July 26, 2017. [Photo/ my0538.com]

"The city's first Cultural Consumption Season started on July 26 and will last for three months, during which more than 1,000 cultural activities including art and cultural performances, exhibitions and lectures will be staged across the city," said an official from Tai'an municipal bureau of culture, radio, television, news and publication.

"What's more, customers will get large discounts on cultural consumption services such as cultural tourism, watching films and buying books throughout the festival," added the official.

The event is being held as part of the first Shandong Cultural Consumption Season launched by the Shandong provincial government to attract people from all walks of life to participate in cultural activities, jointly share cultural resources and enjoy a feast of culture.

According to Tai'an municipal bureau of culture, radio, television, news and publication, the event aims to promote local cultural industries and make cultural consumption a new source of economic growth.

Local cultural enterprises are heavily involved in the event, announcing a series of offers and promotions.

"Customers enjoy a 50 percent discount during the event along with other promotional offers," said Shi Xiuna, a senior manager from Fate Stone, a local jade company.

Fan Weiguo, a seventh-generation inheritor of the Mount Tai shadow puppetry, expressed his support to the event.

"Thanks to the government's support and the role it plays as a bridge between customers and producers, people will gain a better understanding of the city's cultural enterprises and cultural heritage," said Fan.

The event will include six types of activities that will take place both online and offline, including cultural tourism activities, cultural performances and exhibitions, digital cultural experiences and traditional handicraft-making activities.

Signers perform at the opening ceremony of the first Cultural Consumption Season in Tai'an, Shandong province, on July 26, 2017. [Photo/ my0538.com]

The audience is mesmerized by the exciting gala evening at the Tai'an Culture and Arts Center on July 26. [Photo/ my0538.com]

An artist sings at the opening ceremony of the first Cultural Consumption Season in Tai'an, Shandong province, on July 26, 2017. [Photo/ my0538.com]