HÀ NỘI — At least 5,000 performers, including many professional artists and artisans from various craft villages, will parade and showcase their acts at the biggest festival ever to be held in the pedestrian zone around Hoàn Kiếm (Sword) Lake in downtown Hà Nội this Sunday.

Entitled Tinh Hoa Hà Nội – Hội Tụ Và Tỏa Sáng (The Quintessence of Hà Nội – Converging and Shining), the festival is jointly organised by the city’s Department of Culture and Sports and the Centre of Preservation and Development of Theatre Art (CPDTA).

The event aims to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of extending Hà Nội’s borders (2008-2018). It is directed by four renowned female artists of Hà Nội’s performing arts – Thúy Mùi, Lê Khanh, Hương Thơm and Mai Hương.

“Hà Nội has always taken pride in its diverse and unique cultures, as it does in preserving priceless historical arts and cultural relics,” Thúy Mùi, director of the CPDTA and general director of the festival, said in an interview with Văn Hóa (Culture) newspaper.

“The merger between Hà Nội proper and surrounding areas has created favourable conditions and opportunities, as well as supplements the human resources and strength for the city to achieve new heights, meeting the demands for development of the nation in the spirit of solidarity, co-operation and responsibility,” she added.

Taking place from 8am to 11am on July 29, the festival will include seven groups parading around the lake. The leading group will consist of 800 artisans and traditional artists, which will be followed by groups of artisans from craft villages, the elderly, athletes and 700 students from around the capital.

The highlight of the parade will be the appearance of hundreds of models in áo dài (traditional long dresses) in the latest collections by renowned fashion designers in Hà Nội. Another 300 artists and artisans will walk on stilts or perform magical tricks for onlookers.

The festival will conclude with a colourful carnival and the participation of 1,700 young people dancing.

According to the organisers, the street festival is expected to create an exciting atmosphere among Hanoians and visitors to the capital. The content conveyed through the festival will reflect the typical cultural features of each area, contributing different colours to the overall picture of the culture of the city in particular and Việt Nam in general. It is also opportunity to honour the cultural heritages, promote the tourism potential and attract more tourists to the city. — VNS