HÀ NỘI — Thousands of locals and foreign tourists enjoyed a street festival entited The Quintessence of Hà Nội – Converging and Shining, held on the pedestrian street in Hà Nội on Sunday morning.

The event attracted a large number of participants of various ages and backgrounds, including more than 800 folk artists performing traditional dragon and lion dances, 400 professional dancers, hundreds of models wearing traditional áo dài, more than 700 senior citizens putting on a fan dance, as well as 700 pupils and students carrying flowers and balloons. The event concluded with a street carnival-style dance by nearly 1,700 young people.

“The Street Festival is not only a rendezvous for artists but also an opportunity for local people especially the young generation to preserve and develop the values of traditional arts as well as to be more aware of the pride of the thousand-year-old capital city – the city of peace,” Tô Văn Động, director of Hà Nội’s Department of Culture and Sports said at the event.

Mai Hạnh, who performed in the festival, said “It is an honour for artists of traditional craft villages like me to join the festival. I like the festive atmosphere a lot.”

Trần Quang Huy from the Emmy dance group said his team has more than 140 members performing three dances – a lotus-style, peach blossom-style and street carnival style dance.

They spent more than two months rehearsing and were very happy to put on an exciting show for festival goers, said Huy.

The festival was held by Hà Nội’s Department of Culture and Sports and the Centre of Preservation and Development of Theatre Art to celebrate the expansion of Hà Nội’s border ten years ago. — VNS