Naadam Photo: VCG

Amid vast grasslands in midsummer, galloping horses, fierce bokh (Mongolian wrestling) contests and aircraft soaring overhead set the scene for the opening of the 36th Naadam Festival in the Xilin Gol League, North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, on Saturday.

A national intangible cultural heritage (ICH), the Naadam festival was once best known for the "Three Games of Men": wrestling, archery, and horse racing. Today, the grassland festival is evolving from a traditional ethnic celebration into a more diverse cultural tourism experience.

On opening day, the Aviation Naadam flight formation soared over the Xilin Gol grasslands, becoming one of the highlights of the event. The combination of traditional grassland culture and modern aviation elements reflect one of the major changes seen at this year's Naadam.

A festival staff member surnamed Chen from the Xilin Gol League told the Global Times on Sunday that while the festival retains traditional events, it also introduces more than 20 interactive activities, including intangible cultural heritage workshops, traditional costume photo experiences, and competitions for visitors, attracting more than 100,000 participants.

"In the past, grassland festivals mainly served as platforms for cultural display. Today, local ­organizers are exploring ways to combine intangible cultural heritage, sports, performances, and technology, allowing traditional culture to reach visitors through more diverse forms," Chen said. 

In his view, the shift from spectators to participants represents an important direction in the development of Naadam in recent years.

Visitors have also noticed the changes. Tang Xiaoyu, a tourist from Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality who was visiting the Xilin Gol grasslands for the first time, told the Global Times that the atmosphere at the event left a deep impression on her.

"I still remember what the host said at the opening ceremony: 'On the Xilin Gol grasslands, you don't need to think about which direction to go, because no matter which way you head, it is all a journey toward the horizon,'" she said. "I hope my life can also be like the grasslands of Xilin Gol - vast, fulfilling, and full of distant destinations."

Tang said she also took part in the visitor competition and won a medal. For her, participating in the event transformed Naadam from "

watching a performance" into "a personal experience."

As the festival's activities have expanded, the duration of this year's Naadam has also been extended. The core events are being held from Saturday to Monday, with related activities continuing through the end of August. Thirteen themed tourism routes have been launched to connect grassland attractions, allowing visitors to turn a festival trip into a broader grassland travel experience.

However, the event's growing popularity has also brought new challenges. Some visitors have posted on social media that crowds were concentrated at entry and departure points on opening day, while limited shuttle capacity led to longer waiting times for some. The packed venue, however, also reflects Naadam's growing appeal.