Hanoi (VNA) - Colourful lanterns will light up Thang Long ImperialCitadel and the gates will open for the public to celebrate mid-autumnfestival, beginning now and running until October 4 - the full moon day of theeighth lunar month.

The festival, organised forchildren by the Thang Long-Hanoi Heritage Conservation Centre, offers a varietyof activities. In particular, an education programme will help children betterunderstand mid-autumn festivals of the early 20th century throughdocumented works of the French researcher Henri Oger and photographer AlbertKahn.

Children will also have achance to talk directly to historical and cultural researchers and artisans aswell as experience traditional games and craft-making processes.

The space is filled withstalls displaying traditional toys associated with mid-autumn festivals.

Participating artisansinclude well-known makers of moon cakes, masks, lanterns, pottery, and tohe (glutinous rice figurines). The skilled craft persons are comingfrom across Hanoi as well as Bac Ninh province.

“Toys and lanterns are anintegral part of the mid-autumn festival parade. To the sounds of the drumbeat,children hold colourful lanterns and march on roads, and that’s the mostinteresting part of the mid-autumn festival celebration,” said Vu Van Sinh, alantern-making artisan from Thanh Oai district, Hanoi.                                                        

“There are various kinds oflanterns, star or rabbit shaped. Most of them are not easy to make. We’re happyto be here to instruct the children to make lanterns for themselves.”

Traditional games will beplayed, such as carrying rice across a bamboo bridge, see-saw, boomerang,wooden horse, jumping-in-sack race, tug of war, stick-and-ball, clay crackers,board games and blindfolded drummer.

Organising the mid-autumnfestival is part of a series of activities at the Thang Long-Hanoi HeritageConservation Centre designed to promote the intangible cultural heritage of thecountry, said Tran Viet Anh, director of the centre.

“We want to bring childrenattractive activities to celebrate the festival and through it, we expect themto uphold the traditions of the nation,” Anh said.

The festival is openeveryday at Thang Long Imperial Citadel, 19 Hoang Dieu Street, Ba Dinh district,Hanoi.-VNA