Pingyao old street in Linping district features a lively bench dragon dance. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]

As the Lantern Festival approaches, the festive markets in Hangzhou are bringing together tradition and creativity with lantern displays, folk performances and exciting interactive activities.

At Xianlinbu old street in Yuhang district, visitors can enjoy shadow puppetry, fish lantern parades and fire performances. Elsewhere, Pingyao old street in Linping district features a lively bench dragon dance, lantern exhibitions and folk music contests.

At the TJ Center, a new shopping complex in Yuhang, hundreds of custom lanterns have set the scene for a lantern riddle game, while a challenge inviting visitors to use longer-than-normal chopsticks to pick up tangyuan glutinous rice balls – a must to eat during the Lantern Festival – keeps the excitement high.

Meanwhile, Xianghu Lake's Hushan market is hosting cultural stalls, tea ceremonies and dragon dances, creating a buoyant holiday vibe.

A parade of fish lantern displays tours Xianlinbu old street in Yuhang district. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]