Festival of the Drunken Dragon, also known as the Drunken Dragon and Lion Dance Gala, is a unique traditional folk festival celebrated by the fishmongers of Macao. Traditionally, on the evening of the seventh day of the fourth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, Macao residents engaged in the wholesale or retail trade of the fishing industry gather in the market, where they sit around the table to dine, which gradually evolved into the tradition of the ‘longevity rice’ feast. During the festival, a wooden dragon was made to dance on the incense burner table to pray for blessings.
The tradition of the drunken dragon dance celebrated by the Macao fishmongers was later developed into a regular festival activity jointly celebrated by all fishmonger associations on the eighth day of the fourth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, and became a unique and influential traditional folk festival in Macao, celebrated by all walks of life. The festival features a variety of activities, including the consumption of ‘longevity rice’, the ‘Drunken Dragon Parade’ and the distribution of free ‘longevity rice’, as well as two major performances of the ‘drunken dragon dance’ and ‘lion dance’.