The 2018 Sa Pa Autumn Festival opened in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai on September 1 with a wide range of activities.

The opening ceremony of the 2018 Sa Pa Autumn Festival in Lao Cai province

The festival is part of cultural and art events held in the province to promote traditional cultural values of ethnic groups in the resort district of Sa Pa.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Vice Chairman of the district People’s Committee Le Manh Hao said Sa Pa has enjoyed strong growth over the years, especially in tourism services.

The festival is viewed as a drive for the district’s tourism sector this year, creating a momentum for its sustainable development in the future, he noted.

The highlights of the festival are a cuisine festival of the north-western region, a photo exhibition on Sa Pa’s people and landscapes, along with street performances and re-enactment of ethnic people’s rituals such as the bride welcoming ceremony of Dao people and the land-worshipping ceremony of Giay ethnic group, among others.

Additionally, a mountain marathon is slated for September 20-23 while a seminar on potential and development orientation of the Sa Pa National Tourism site in 2018-2020 will be held on September 15-17, with the participation of domestic and international tourism businesses.

The Sa Pa Autumn Festival will run until October 30.-VNA