Small-town Chinese officials are making money with music festivals
And exhausted urban youngsters are flocking to them
Lockdown was brutal. But nature is healing. And, it turns out, nature is also part of the healing. As frazzled urbanites emerge from their pandemic hibernaculum into a grim economy, some want to venture to the great outdoors. Small cities and rural areas are obliging by putting on funky new music festivals where the youth can dance and hug and relax once again.
This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Festival time”
From the May 27th 2023 edition
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