Hue Festival 2008 Awaits Art Lovers

The theme “Cultural Heritage with Integration and Development”, for the Hue Festival of 2008, promises to make this the grandest, most impressive, and highest attended festival yet. There will be hundreds of cultural and tourist events aimed at showcasing the unique cultural values of Vietnam and Hue Ancient Capital.
Hue Festival 2008 will continue to build on the achievements of the festivals of 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2006, taking the direction for improving artistic quality and professional characteristic in order to highlight Hue’s position as the national center of culture and tourism for all of Vietnam. This will be an international cultural and tourist event, with emphasis on art exchanges at regional and state levels. Hue Festival 2008 will be infused with the Vietnamese and Hue cultural identity coupled with the expansion of international exchanges, socio-economic development, and the promotion of Vietnamese tourism development.
Spotlighting the festival will be the unrivalled space of Hue Citadel at night time with diversified art stages, magnificent Royal Night performances, royal banquets and exciting royal games. In addition to the Citadel, An Dinh Palace and Thuy Tien Lake, and other historically significant places in and around Hue City will serve as venues for various interesting and exciting street art performances, folkloric plays, gastronomy eateries, and exhibitions of handicrafts for the tourist, as well as trade fairs.
The Hue Festival 2008 will officially begin on the evening of June 3rd, 2008, at Ngo Mon Square and concluded the evening of June 11th, 2008. One month before the Opening Ceremony of the Festival a host of activities are scheduled to introduce Hue Festival 2008.
The Hue Festival 2008 will bring together artistic performances from various Vietnamese cultural regions, particularly Hue Royal Arts, and the cultural arts of countries worldwide (France being the major partner, and other countries including Australia, Belgium, Cambodia, Canada, China, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, USA).
The Fifth International Sculpture Symposium will be launched on May 3rd, 2008 at the Abalone Resort & Spa. In addition, a variety of exciting and beautiful festivities to welcome Hue Festival 2008 will be held throughout Hue City and its adjacent areas.
Hue Festival 2008 will continue the tradition of reenacting unique royal rituals of Hue Ancient Capital only on a much grander scale, with a focus on quality, and attractive performances which are expected to bring together the participation of a great number of artists, actors, actresses, and spectators. The extraordinary Ao Dai Grand Show will be among the most impressive events with the unsurpassed opulence of vibrant the open-air stage that is Hue’s signature.
In particular, the coronation ceremony of Hero Nguyen Hue, known as Quang Trung Emperor, will be recreated to commemorate the 220th anniversary of this actual event, and the Examination of Military Doctors will be partially reenacted. The cultural space of the Royal Tiger Arena (Ho Quyen) and the Temple of Elephant’s Roaring (Voi Re) will witness various unique cultural events, community and royal festivities for the public.
During the Hue Festival 2008, many cultural and tourist activities will take place, extending from the mysterious ancient capital of Hue to the out lying areas, from the royal palaces and tombs in the ancient quarter of the city to the villages where traditional handicrafts are made. Tourists will have the opportunity to experience the exotic lifestyle of Hue; participate in Eco-tourist adventures; enjoy relaxing rides in the waterways and lagoons; discover Hue’s famous pagodas; take part in traditional festivities and events; explore the mysterious royal tombs and numerous romantic and spectacular hideaways; and sample Hue’s traditional cuisine while enjoying music aboard dragon boats drifting along the alluring Perfume River.
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