Children noisily shouted as two colourful lions, one red, one yellow,appeared at the entrance to Kim Ngan Communal House on Hang Bac streeton September 5.
The cloth and papier mache animals bounced along,dancing to the sounds of a drum and cymbals to provide traditionalentertainment for the Mid-Autumn Festival.
The lions wereaccompanied by Ong Dia, a grinning clown-like figure who represents theEarth God. He danced around wearing a big, pink mask, one hand holdinghis fat belly and the other waving a paper fan.
The 20-minuteperformance began the Old Quarter's four-day Mid-Autumn event, known inVietnamese as Tet Trung Thu. It runs until September 8.
Thecelebrations include classes running from nine-to-five teaching childrenhow to make lanterns, ‘to he’ (toy animals made of sticky rice flour),toy ships and kites.
Experts from craft villages in Ba village,Dan Phuong district; Van Canh commune, Hoai Duc district; Khuong Dinhward, Thanh Xuan district, and others will provide the expertise.
Many pagodas and other old buildings in Hang Buom and Hang Dao streets have been lit up for the occasion.
Hugeyellow lanterns have been hung high in Hang Bac street at the entranceof the Kim Ngan Communal House – the centre of the event.
Inside,the place is adorned with bamboo plates painted with the face of folkcharacters, star and fish-shaped lanterns, big paper kites painted withimages of a rural life, paper lion heads and other eye-catching items.
Dutch tourists Josen van der Sande and his girlfriend, Saska Geurts, were delighted with the spectacle.
"We've never seen such a performance," said Josen.
"It's really a beautiful show. How they moved and danced," his girlfriend added.
Afemale tourist from Belgium was amazed at all the decorations. Shefollowed the children and noticed many holding hands as they walkedaround the communal house.
Meanwhile, in Ho Chi Minh Citymore than 200 underprivileged children received mooncakes, lanterns andother gifts from charity groups at a celebration of the annualMid-Autumn Festival on September 6 night.
The children, who liveat city shelters, safe houses and care centres, also participated intraditional games during the party, held at the Women's Cultural Housein District 7.
On the same night, children of migrant labourerstook part in a free programme of puppet and theatre shows, lanterndesign and singing contests, at the Labour Palace in District 1, wherethey had a chance to meet their favourite singers like Dong Nhi and NooPhuoc Thinh.
The organiser, the city's Labour Union, presented many gifts and toys for the children.
Similar celebrations were held around the city to celebrate the festival this weekend.
Thecity's Cultural House for Children in District 1 is hosting a specialprogramme, 2014 Moonlight Legend, featuring lantern and fruit-traydesign competitions apart from music and dance performances on September7.
Other major attractions are the performance of professionalactors from IDECAF and Phu Nhuan Drama, two of the city's private dramatroupes.-VNA
The cloth and papier mache animals bounced along,dancing to the sounds of a drum and cymbals to provide traditionalentertainment for the Mid-Autumn Festival.
The lions wereaccompanied by Ong Dia, a grinning clown-like figure who represents theEarth God. He danced around wearing a big, pink mask, one hand holdinghis fat belly and the other waving a paper fan.
The 20-minuteperformance began the Old Quarter's four-day Mid-Autumn event, known inVietnamese as Tet Trung Thu. It runs until September 8.
Thecelebrations include classes running from nine-to-five teaching childrenhow to make lanterns, ‘to he’ (toy animals made of sticky rice flour),toy ships and kites.
Experts from craft villages in Ba village,Dan Phuong district; Van Canh commune, Hoai Duc district; Khuong Dinhward, Thanh Xuan district, and others will provide the expertise.
Many pagodas and other old buildings in Hang Buom and Hang Dao streets have been lit up for the occasion.
Hugeyellow lanterns have been hung high in Hang Bac street at the entranceof the Kim Ngan Communal House – the centre of the event.
Inside,the place is adorned with bamboo plates painted with the face of folkcharacters, star and fish-shaped lanterns, big paper kites painted withimages of a rural life, paper lion heads and other eye-catching items.
Dutch tourists Josen van der Sande and his girlfriend, Saska Geurts, were delighted with the spectacle.
"We've never seen such a performance," said Josen.
"It's really a beautiful show. How they moved and danced," his girlfriend added.
Afemale tourist from Belgium was amazed at all the decorations. Shefollowed the children and noticed many holding hands as they walkedaround the communal house.
Meanwhile, in Ho Chi Minh Citymore than 200 underprivileged children received mooncakes, lanterns andother gifts from charity groups at a celebration of the annualMid-Autumn Festival on September 6 night.
The children, who liveat city shelters, safe houses and care centres, also participated intraditional games during the party, held at the Women's Cultural Housein District 7.
On the same night, children of migrant labourerstook part in a free programme of puppet and theatre shows, lanterndesign and singing contests, at the Labour Palace in District 1, wherethey had a chance to meet their favourite singers like Dong Nhi and NooPhuoc Thinh.
The organiser, the city's Labour Union, presented many gifts and toys for the children.
Similar celebrations were held around the city to celebrate the festival this weekend.
Thecity's Cultural House for Children in District 1 is hosting a specialprogramme, 2014 Moonlight Legend, featuring lantern and fruit-traydesign competitions apart from music and dance performances on September7.
Other major attractions are the performance of professionalactors from IDECAF and Phu Nhuan Drama, two of the city's private dramatroupes.-VNA
