Autumn winds blow, and the aroma of lamb wafts through the air.
As autumn sets in each year, does your discerning palate start to crave something warm and hearty, like a taste of lamb?
For many Hangzhou residents, digging into a steaming pot of lamb hotpot in Cangqian is like a warm embrace for both body and soul during the cold winter months.
Here’s some heartwarming news: today, the “Stay True to Our Mission, Warm Hearts Along the Way” food promotion event for the 14th Cangqian Lamb Hotpot Festival in the Hometown of Taiyan, celebrating the 70th anniversary of our motherland, was held in Shaoxi Village, Cangqian Subdistrict. Luo Yuhua, president of the Cangqian Lamb Hotpot Association, announced that the opening ceremony of the long-awaited Cangqian Lamb Hotpot Festival will return with a bang on November 10 this year after a three-year hiatus.
“Over the past 14 years, the Cangqian Lamb Hotpot Festival has become a major annual winter gathering that warms the hearts of Hangzhou residents. When the festival was first launched, it wasn’t just about keeping warm in winter — it was also about using food as an entry point to develop rural tourism and the beauty economy, bringing warmth to people’s lives. That original mission remains unchanged.”
You may have noticed that in previous years, the opening day of the Cangqian Lamb Hotpot Festival was always set for November 11. Why the one-day shift this year?
“This year, November 10 happens to fall on a Sunday. People are more inclined to go out for a meal on a rest day. On Singles’ Day (November 11), many are busy happily shopping and might not make time for lamb hotpot. To enhance the overall experience, we’ve moved the opening ceremony of the 14th Cangqian Lamb Hotpot Festival up a day. After all, you need to fill your belly before you go on a shopping spree!” said Luo Yuhua.
The opening ceremony of this year’s Cangqian Lamb Hotpot Village will take place on the large lawn at the village entrance. Organizers will invite 70 elders born in 1949 who are permanent residents of Cangqian Subdistrict, pioneering entrepreneurs from the Future Sci-Tech City, individuals who have shown special care and support for the Cangqian Lamb Hotpot Village, as well as representatives of the Tujia ethnic group from Xianfeng County, Enshi Prefecture, Hubei Province, to join in the hotpot experience on-site.
On November 10, the “Love Me” single youths’ lamb hotpot party will invite 70 single young people (60 single entrepreneurial youths organized by Future Sci-Tech City and Dream Town, and 10 single youths from Hangzhou recruited by KuaiBao) to potentially find love over a pot of lamb.
In the evening of that day, there will also be a lamb hotpot rice field concert and a bonfire party. Organizers have prepared 10 whole roasted lambs and hundreds of skewers of lamb to share with the audience on-site.
Don’t miss out on the incredible experience of enjoying a whole roasted lamb while listening to a live concert in the rice fields.
Transportation Tips to Lamb Hotpot Village:
By car: Take the exit at Pingyao on the Hangchang Expressway, then drive about 3.5 km south along Pingcang Avenue (from Pingyao to Cangqian); or take the Wenyi Tunnel and drive west along West Wenyi Road, turn right onto East-West Avenue and drive about 4.5 km north. You can also enter “Cangqian Lamb Hotpot Village” into Gaode Map or Baidu Map for directions.
By bus: Take Bus 450 and get off at either “Shaoxi Village” or “Wushanqian Village” stop.