A grand event combining intangible cultural heritage and a trendy shopping festival held during the weekend in the Ninghe district. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

As a 2,000-year-old tradition now recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage, the Dragon Boat Festival, which falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, has been celebrated for more than two millennia.

"The dragon boat originated from worship of nature, tools and totems in traditional Chinese culture. Especially in regions along rivers, people's lives were mainly on the boat, so with the worship of boat and dragon, there came the dragon boat," Professor Song Junhua, director of the Institute of Intangible Cultural Heritage at Sun Yat-sen University, said.

People make zongzi to celebrate the upcoming traditional Dragon Boat Festival. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Wang Yangyang, a member of the Binhai Blue Sky Rescue Team, which has participated since the first edition, said, "Every year I feel the team spirit growing stronger."

Jia Liguo, director of the Mass Sports Office of the Binhai New Area Education and Sports Bureau, said the district has been actively responding to the national "Healthy China" and "Fitness for All" strategies.

The Binhai Blue Sky Rescue Team receives awards at the closing ceremony. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

"Our goal is to bring sports into communities, enterprises and schools, achieving participation by the whole society," he said.