Lim festival attracts droves of visitors

TUOI TRE  

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Quan ho performances on boats.

Photo: Tuoi Tre

Thousands of festival-goers flocked to the Lim festival in Tien Du district, the largest of its kind in northern Bac Ninh province, on Feb 21 and 22.

The festivities took place in Lim town and Noi Due and Lien Bao communes. The epicenter was at at Hong Van mountain, also known as Lim mountain.

At 8 am, the festival began with a procession made up of hordes of locals wearing radiant, old-fashioned ceremonial costumes. The parade spanned several kilometers.

At Lim mountain, quan ho, northern folk music, was performed at four marquees and a main stage.

Visitors were also able to enjoy mesmerizing quan ho performances on stages at the temple and pagoda gates and on boats in villages such as Lung Son, Due Khanh and Dinh Ca, as well as at the artists’ homes in Lung Giang and Due Dong villages.

In efforts to recreate atmosphere of previous Lim festivals, a wide range of exciting folk games including swings, wrestling, blindman’s bluff, pot smashing while blindfolded, cock fights and human chess were held.

At 8 am, the procession to embrace the conferred titles commenced.

Women wearing colorful ceremonial outfits during the procession.

Girls proudly don quan ho artist costumes.

Excited children pulling Lo Bao village’s ‘Master Horse’

Part of the wrestling arena

Male and female quan ho artists perform at the festival’s main stage.

Swing games intended for brave tourists.

Phoenix-shaped betels, an icon of the Kinh Bac people

Older quan ho artists performing together.

Quan ho performances on boats.