A series of festive activities were staged by local residents to celebrate the Lantern Festival on Feb 19 in Taishan district of Tai'an, East China's Shandong province.

The convivial event, hosted at the picturesque Nanhu Park, offered a dazzling display of folk arts such as lion and dragon dances, yangko performances (a popular rural folk dance), walking on stilts shows and shehuo performances (a show celebrating the customs of traditional Chinese festivals).

Lantern Festival is a traditional Chinese festival celebrated on the 15th day of the first lunar month. It falls on Feb 19 this year.

It is a continuation of the Spring Festival. The day leads to the first full moon night of the year, and is also the night when the earth returns to spring.

Upbeat and joyful lion dance is stages to celebrate the Lantern Festival on Feb 19 in Taishan district of Tai'an, East China's Shandong province. [Photo/dzwww.com]

Local residents dressed in traditional costumes stage yangko performance to celebrate the Lantern Festival on Feb 19 in Taishan district of Tai'an, East China's Shandong province. [Photo/dzwww.com]