Chengdu Cherry Festival kicks off Updated: 2012-05-04 09:39 By Li Yu and Lai Li (chinadaily.com.cn)

Tourists picking cherries and tasting. Photo by Lai Li/ China Daily

Children are drawing pictures on the opening ceremony of Chengdu Cherries Festival. Photo by Lai Li/ China Daily

The 2012 Chengdu Cherry Festival kicks off in Pujiang county, Sichuan province on April 26. Sponsored by the Sichuan Tourism Bureau, the Chengdu Municipal Government and other departments, the festival will last to mid-May.

On the opening ceremony, Pujiang county was award as China's best city of ecological festival and the national demonstration county of tourism and leisure.

The cherry festival is a grand annual tourism event in Pujiang. The festival has become one of the most popular tourism brands, which attracts thousands of tourists every year. Statistics shows that the cherry plantation area reaches 20,000 acres in the county, bringing 3,000 yuan revenue for each family.

"Cherries are the theme of the festival" Said Li Min, vice village head of Guangming, Pujiang county, "We have three different kinds of cherries. Those planted in low altitude area are fully ripe, and those in higher altitude will be turning red soon."

During the 15-day festival, tourists can pick and eat pesticide-free cherries. Except tasting fresh fruit, tourists will have opportunities to experience many local activities, such as cherry-eating competition and rolling pumpkin.

Sited 68 km away from Chengdu, Sichuan's provincial capital, Pujiang county is famous for its abundant tourism resources and agricultural products. Ecological tourism festivals are frequently held in this area. The third China's Tea-picking Festival is concluded in Pujiang in early March this year.