On the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month—Little New Year in southern China—the festive atmosphere is in full swing across Sichuan Province. On February 11, the media tour "Vibrant Sichuan: A Glimpse into Prosperity" arrived in Suining, coinciding with a traditional temple fair in an ancient town and offering an early taste of a futuristic aerial experience.

The bustling Qingdi Ancient Town Garden Fair

In Qingdi Ancient Town, Tuopai Town, Shehong City, a lively garden party featured the spectacular "Molten Iron Fire Dragon" performance. Children danced with miniature lion heads on the streets, followed closely by red-and-gold dragons leaping and twisting to the rhythm of drums. Local officials explained that this was no ordinary dragon dance but a unique fusion of the century-old tradition of molten iron flower displays, known as "Molten Iron Fire Dragon".

Originating from Qingdi's historic hand-forged knife industry, performers weave through showers of molten iron sparks—a breathtaking spectacle. Hou Shiping, a 68-year-old knife craftsman, still works at the Qingdi Kitchen Knife Factory, preserving traditional techniques such as shaping, edge-setting, and quenching. This Spring Festival, in addition to lion dances, yangge folk performances, and the "Molten Iron Fire Dragon" parade, the town is hosting the "Flavor Fiesta: Tuopai Food Time" event, showcasing local snacks, time-honored brands, and specialty agricultural products. The trio—"using Qingdi knives, watching Mulian opera, and enjoying the Molten Iron Fire Dragon"—has become Qingdi's "Three Treasures", drawing visitors from near and far.

The ancient Qingdi Town held a 'molten iron fire dragon' parade

Celebrating the New Year in Suining offers both a journey into the past and a leap into the future. On the afternoon of February 11, the Western Future Aerospace Industrial Park in Suining Economic and Technological Development Zone was making final preparations for the upcoming 2026 "Aerospace Fantasy: New Year Flight Carnival," set to open the next day. The event will run through March 9, featuring daily aerobatic shows by fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, large-scale drone light shows each evening, and scenic flights offering aerial views of the city. Organizers reported that advance ticket sales have already exceeded 80,000, with low-altitude flight experiences priced at 199 yuan and 249 yuan.

Visitors experienced helicopter sightseeing at the carnival

Leveraging Suining's dual-airport advantage, the carnival aims to support the city's goal of building a 10-billion-yuan aerospace industry by 2030. Naba Airport, the core area of the industrial park, is slated to become China's hub for light aircraft manufacturing, the premier western city for aviation sports, a key UAV cargo logistics center for the Sichuan-Chongqing region, and a base for aerospace education and research.

【本文部分内容由AI辅助生成，特此声明。The author(s) generated part of the content in this work with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI), which is hereby declared.】