A festival celebrating the culture, sports and tourist attractions of the Hong (Red) River Delta provinces opened on October 14, in the northern province of Thai Binh.

Seeing red: Local people and officials at a ceremony in Thai Binh Province to open a festival celebrating the culture, sport and tourist attractions of the Hong (Red) River Delta.

Among the numerous activities will be a photography exhibition featuring images of the countryside and people, an agricultural competition for farmers, a sports tournaments and folk games.

A seminar on developing tourism in the Delta region will be held along with a meeting to review the 20-year construction of cultural villages in northern Viet Nam.

More than 300 local farmers and 2,000 residents of ten northern provinces and cities – Ha Noi, Bac Ninh, Ha Nam, Hai Duong, Hai Phong, Hung Yen, Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh, Thai Binh and Vinh Phuc – will take part in the event, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

There will also be exhibits from 96 villages in 33 northern provinces.

The highlight of the festival will be the closing ceremony, which will feature musical performances such as cheo (traditional opera), contests and folk games.

Visitors will be invited to take part in a carnival this afternoon along some of the main streets in Thai Binh. There will dragon dancing, stilt walking and floats.

Cao Thi Hai, vice chairwoman of the provincial people’s committee, said the festival would promote the tourism potential of the region and foster greater inter-provincial co-operation.

Nguyen Khac Phuc, a writer, said the event would also be used to promote the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long – Ha Noi next year.

“It can be said that Red River culture is the foundation of Thang Long – Ha Noi’s culture,” he said.

Phuc, who planned the provincial festival, said Thang Long was built on the silt of the Red River and that many of the customs of Hanoians bore similarities to those of the people in the delta provinces.

The event includes a ploughing ceremony on fields of the kings in Ly dynasty (1009-1225) to encourage farmers. The dynasty played a very important role in setting up and developing the Red River Delta.

Dien Hong Conference in the Tran dynasty (1225-1400) was enacted at the festival reflecting patriotism of Vietnamese people and their braveness against invaders.

The Tran dynasty origined from Thai Binh Province. Now Tam Duong and Hung Ha districts still preserve many vestiges of the dynasty.

A contemporary dance entitled Tinh Yeu Chau Tho (Love for the Delta) will be held during the opening ceremony.

The dance reflects the legendary love between Princess Tien Dung and a fisherman Chu Dong Tu, in which the river plays a major part. It praises love, filial duty and patriotism.

Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Hoang Tuan Anh assigned the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism to chair the organisation of the seminar on tourism development.

The Red River Delta region is famed for its number handicraft villages.

It is also home to country’s largest granary, and plays a key role in the nation’s socio-economic development.

The festival will be held every two years and will next take place in Ha Nam province.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News