As one of the series of events under the 2015 "Cave Paradise · Beautiful Zhijin" Cultural Tourism Year, the "China Guizhou · Zhijindong International Karst Cave Culture Festival" will be held from August 6 to December 31, lasting five months. The festival will officially kick off on September 23–25 at the Zhijindong Welcome Square, where more than 10 series of activities will be launched to comprehensively and multi-dimensionally showcase the image of Zhijindong as the most beautiful geological park and the achievements in its bid to become a UNESCO Global Geopark, further enhancing the visibility and influence of the "Cave Paradise · Beautiful Zhijin" tourism brand.
It is understood that Zhijin County is located in the central-western part of Guizhou Province, with an average annual temperature of 14.1°C, annual sunshine of 1,117 hours, and annual rainfall between 1,400 and 1,500 millimeters. The Zhijindong Scenic Area within the county is known as the "No.1 Cave in the World" and is a national key scenic spot. It has been awarded honors such as "First Batch of China's National Natural Heritage" and "Top of China’s Most Beautiful Tourist Caves." At the same time, as a beautiful calling card of the Bijie Experimental Zone, Zhijindong Cave is also hailed as a "Karst Museum" and is one of the important brands of Guizhou’s diverse tourism industry. Currently, the bid to become a UNESCO Global Geopark is entering the final countdown and is set to become Guizhou’s first UNESCO Global Geopark.
In recent years, through the continuous hosting of the cave culture festival, Zhijindong Cave has played a strong exemplary and leading role in the development of local tourism, effectively boosting the rapid economic and social development of Bijie City, and adding a unique and beautiful touch to Guizhou’s diverse tourism industry.
To better develop, manage, and promote the Zhijindong Geological Park, this year’s Guizhou · Zhijindong International Karst Cave Culture Festival will revolve around the theme of "The Enchanting Zhijindong Cave · The Soul of Guizhou’s Plateau" and carry out a series of activities.
On the evening of the opening ceremony, the cultural performance will primarily feature local ethnic and folk culture, integrating elements of cave culture, geological science education, and the UNESCO Global Geopark, highlighting the tourism image of Bijie and showcasing the regional characteristics of Zhijin. Through time-honored folk culture, vibrant ethnic customs, and the unique karst geological wonders, the stage will present a stunning visual impact, fully demonstrating the charm of local folk culture and revealing the magical allure of the "Enchanting Zhijindong Cave · The Soul of Guizhou’s Plateau" as part of the "Cave Paradise · Beautiful Zhijin."
In addition to the distinctive opening ceremony, this edition of the cave culture festival will also emphasize the theme of "culture." It will include events such as the Expert Forum on Standardized Management of Cave Tourism, the Seminar on the Integrated Development of Culture and Tourism in Colorful Guizhou, a nationwide media tour through the UNESCO Global Geopark Zhijindong Cave, and the Geological Science Education Outreach Program at universities. National media, experts, tourists, and university students and faculty will be invited to explore the Zhijindong National Geopark, learning about the fascinating stories behind nature—especially those related to geology, earth sciences, and caves—through firsthand experience. This will spark a wave of enthusiasm for geological science tourism.