Hanging red lanterns, performing lion dances, cutting paper window decorations, making mellow rice wine and many other activities are a part of the growing festival atmosphere in Mashan town, Wuxi.

Local residents and tourists from other cities gathered in the town's Guzhu district on Thursday for the commencement of the 2016 Wuxi Mashan Folk Culture Festival.

"Wuxi is becoming more and more beautiful. I visited the city this summer for its blooming lotus flowers, and now I am excited to experience such authentic folk activities." a visitor from Suzhou said at the opening ceremony of the festival.

Experienced Wuxi artists perform "Changchun", a folk tune popular in Changzhou city, Jiangsu. [Photo/wxrb.com]

A Wuxi resident makes rice wine to welcome the Chinese New Year. [Photo/wxrb.com]

Locals in Wuxi perform a lantern dance, an activity commonly seen during the Lantern Festival. [Photo/wxrb.com]