¡°Fishing boats and lanterns against the evening breeze, listening to songs while eating fresh yellow croaker ¡ª this is the right way to spend a Wenzhou summer!¡± On the evening of July 24, the six-day Wenzhou Yellow Croaker Carnival closed at Expo Garden. For days, fishing lights, street bustle and laughter had woven together ¡ª the immersive freshness feast became the city¡¯s brightest new summer night-out.
As dusk fell, the lakeside lawn took on a fishing-village mood. Boat lanterns glowed, recreating the old Wangjiang dock, with nets and baskets setting the scene. Residents stopped to photograph and admire: ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I saw such an authentic old Wenzhou fishing scene ¡ª it brought back childhood memories in an instant.¡± Fishing-village NPCs moved through the crowd, acting out old sales calls and homecoming scenes of the Ou-Yue coast.
The games suited all ages. Yellow-croaker flying-flower games, fishery knowledge contests and night-stroll stamp rallies mixed fun with learning; parents led children through the challenges to unlock croaker coins and exchange them for gifts. ¡°No need to travel far to entertain the kids on summer nights ¡ª they learn while they play at the doorstep,¡± one parent said.
The fish market stayed packed. Bouncy croaker fish cakes and tender croaker fish balls were served free in rotation ¡ª ¡°this is the real Wenzhou yellow croaker taste, sweet and fresh, moreish,¡± said visitors who ordered on the spot. On the lawn, families sat together with nostalgic snacks ¡ª shaved ice and preserved olives ¡ª before retro open-mic singing took over the night.
Over the six days, more than ten thousand visitors came on site, while the Wenzhou Agri Broadcast livestream carried the scene online. The event won both word-of-mouth and sales, drew coverage from national media, and put the Wenzhou yellow croaker brand ¡ª and Ou-Yue fishing culture ¡ª into the national spotlight.
The carnival¡¯s ¡°food + culture + tourism + agri-products¡± model moved beyond traditional industry promotion, using immersive experience to build the croaker brand, activate the night economy and smooth the link from sea to table. In doing so, it spread Ou-Yue fishing culture, enriched Wenzhou¡¯s food system, and laid a firmer foundation for the city¡¯s World Capital of Gastronomy bid.