Tanci “Qianshou” which is composed by Zhangjiagang city is a narrative form of song in China winning the top award of Chinese folk art. ZHANG XUAN / PROVIDED FOR CHINA DAILY

Co-organized by the China Theater Association and the People's Government of Zhangjiagang City, the 8th Yangtze River Drama Festival will take place from Nov 4 to 14.

The performances will be held at the city's landmark public cultural facility, Zhangjiagang Grand Theater, and in town cultural theaters, offering an art and the cultural feast for the people.

There will be three symposiums on Nov 14 and 15 — the Yangtze River Basin literature symposium, the Yangtze River Basin Dramatists Association symposium and the Yangtze River Culture Promotion Association symposium. Professionals and experts in the field from 12 provinces, cities and districts along the Yangtze River have been invited to share their thoughts on development in the art and cultural fields.

Events for students, such poetry reading and art shows for children, will also be a featured during the festival. It's also the first year Zhangjiagang will be staging the "Chinese Farmers Harvest Festival" series of events, at which farmers will showcase their products both for exhibition and sales.

Zhangjiagang has been encouraging multiple modes of development in the e-commerce industry in recent years in an attempt to develop e-commerce industry groups with local features. During the festival, the second year of the Zhangjiagang e-commerce innovation and entrepreneurship competition will be organized by the city’s commerce, science and technology bureaus, as well as other government departments, with participants from social organizations and university student groups.

After the competition, there will be investment and financing meetings for the 10 finalists' startup projects, and they will receive help in getting their companies registered, as well as in hiring and legal consultation services.