Fourth Yihe Night folk opera show kicks off in Linyi

On July 28, the Fourth "Yihe Night" Small Opera and Drama Exhibition will officially open at Linyi People's Square, launching a grand mass cultural feast integrating red revolutionary stories, rural civilization, grassroots governance and integrity education.

Hosted under the 2026 Linyi Small Opera Creation and Promotion Program, the event aims to carry forward the Yimeng Spirit and polish Linyi's signature public cultural brand of "culture created and enjoyed by local residents".

This year, local artists created 175 new small operas. After three rounds of selection at county, municipal and expert levels, 29 high-quality works were picked for the municipal stage. Their themes cover red history, rural revitalization, custom reform, anti-fraud publicity, youth entrepreneurship and clean governance.

The centralized municipal performance runs from July 28 to August 1 at 19:30 daily. The opening ceremony on July 28 will feature five top productions including Bridge of Heart, Crispy Fried Fish and Eternal Memories. Meanwhile, the 38th Yimeng Summer Book Fair will operate alongside the stage, offering discounted books and reading-themed activities.

A judging panel of experts, citizens and media representatives will score each performance live. Awards including first, second and third prizes, excellence awards and outstanding organization awards will be issued after the show.

After the municipal performances, a cross-district cultural tour named "Cultural Visits Between Towns" will take place from August 5 to 8 across four zones of Linyi. Counties exchange excellent operas to share cultural resources and lift regional artistic standards.

Over the years, Linyi has developed more than 800 original small operas, many winning provincial and national art honors. The Yihe Night brand has drawn over 10 million offline audiences. All performers for this session are local residents, presenting vivid stories of Yimeng's past and present on an accessible stage.

Editor：韩蒙蒙