The 2016 Qingdao International Beer Festival

(Image source:www.qdbeer.cn)

The Qingdao International Beer Festival (simplified Chinese: 青岛国际啤酒节) is a yearly festival held in Qingdao in Shandong province, China. The event is jointly sponsored by national state ministries and the Qingdao Municipal Government.

First held in 1991 to celebrate the town’s hundredth anniversary, festivals feature artistic parades, "Beer Carnival" games, beer tasting, drinking contests, music, food, interactive performances, various brewery beer tents, trade exhibitions, gala performances, carnival amusement park games and rides, and even bikini model contests.

The 2016 Qingdao International Beer Festival – Asian Oktoberfest (2016第26届青岛国际啤酒节) will be held during August at three main locations: (1) Golden Sands Beach (金沙滩) — WanRen Square (万人广场), located in Huangdao District, (2) International Horticultural Exhibition Center in Licang District, (3) Century Plaza (崂山区世纪 广场-青岛), located behind the International Convention Center in Laoshan District. Other satellite locations will be constructed in ChengShiYangTai (城市阳台), PingDu(平度).

The festival has evolved from an annual two week international event into a 3 to 4 week Asian Oktoberfest that usually starts the first Saturday in August. This year the beer festival will start with an opening ceremony and show at Golden Sands Beach (金沙滩) — WanRen Square (万人广场), located in Huangdao District on July 29th, 2016.