Visitors admire pear blossoms in an orchard in Dagong town, Hai'an on March 31. [Photo/VCG]

After all the excitement and anticipation of the buildup, the annual pear blossom festival opened in Dagong town, Hai'an, a county-level city in Nantong to great fanfare on March 31.

Dagong has been made famous for its locally produced pears, which taste sweet, tender and crispy, as well as have a wonderful aroma.

Pear cultivation has helped increase the total income of local farmers by more than 35 million yuan ($5.32 million).

Taking advantage of its 266-hectare pear plantation, the town has also developed its tourism industry, by holding pear festivals, farmers' harvest festivals and more.

The pear festival has been held now for 11 years in a row. It has developed a whole host of activities, with people admiring flowers, taking photos and drawing pictures. There have been folk cultural performances, sports contests and goat contests, among others.