Art performance at Festival Hue 2006.

The upcoming biannual Hue festival in central Thua Thien-Hue province will offer new and exciting performances of high professional and artistic quality, in an effort to live up to title of being Vietnam’s ‘Festival City’.

The Hue Festival 2008, themed “Cultural heritage with integration and development”, will take place from June 3-11. The festival coincides with the 15th anniversary of Hue imperial city’s world heritage site recognition and the fifth anniversary of the recognition of Hue royal court music as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage.

An ao dai (Vietnamese women’s traditional dress) fashion show, a performance of a heaven respect ceremony, the Nam Giao Altar and a Royal Palace Night are just a sample of the festival’s attractive events, Deputy Chairman of the Thua Thien-Hue Provincial People’s Committee Ngo Hoa said.

A focus of the festival will be the nightly royal art performances, feasts and games in the citadel’s inner city, the Dai Noi.

The Hue Festival 2008 expects visitors to the city will also explore the mysterious royal tombs, the Tam Giang lagoon, the Bach Ma-Lang Co-Canh Duong tourist resort, local pagodas and enjoy the city’s food specialities.

Twenty-four art ensembles from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Cambodia, China, France, Japan, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Russia, Switzerland, Thailand, the UK and the US will give performances of their cultural heritage during the festival.

Foreign and domestic donors have pledged 10 billion VND for this year’s festival, tripling the figure for the previous festival in 2006.

Throughout the year, Thua Thien-Hue province also hosts the Lang Co – Sea Legend festival, the Countryside Market festival and the Ethnic Minorities’ Culture festival. Deputy Chairman Ngo Hoa said the festivals reflect the harmonious union of the culture of Hue, Vietnam and participating nations.

The number of visitors to Hue during the festivals has been on the rise, from around 41,000 people in 2000 to more than 150,000 people in 2006. The Hue Festival 2008 is expected to welcome around 300,000 arrivals. (VNA)