Twenty provinces and cities representing the northern, central and southern regions will visit the capital to showcase their typical arts, traditional costumes, folk games and gastronomy.

Art troupes from the various provinces and cities will perform at the opening ceremony on October 6, 2008, and then on other festival days on open-air stages in the inner city and its outskirts.

Three exhibitions will be held during the festival, featuring images from Hanoi’s past and present, cultural identities of diverse ethnic groups from various regions of Vietnam, and collections of Vietnamese folk paintings depicting Hang Trong and Dong Ho, and paintings of the Tay, Nung, Dao and Cao Lan ethnic minority groups.

Typical festivals from a range of regions, such as the harvest festival from the mountainous areas, the fish prayer festival celebrated in coastal areas, the Ok Om Bok (Moon Thanksgiving Festival) observed by the Khmer ethnic group in Mekong delta region, and others will also be represented.