Published:  10:47 Tuesday - May 07, 2013

This year’s five-day Hue Traditional Crafts Festival, which closed May 1, drew 65,000 tourists who visited, shopped at the stalls displaying the hand-made products, and watched artisan demonstrations of how to produce them.

On the closing day, some 200 seasoned artisans from 21 well-known craft villages nationwide participating in the festival, themed “Tinh hoa nghe Viet” (The quintessence of Vietnamese traditional crafts) and held in central Hue city, took part in rituals and processions to pay homage to their ancestors.

According to the organizers, the festival attracted around 65,000 visitors, up by 16% compared to the 2011 Traditional Crafts Festival. Many of them visited and shopped at the exhibition and fair, with revenue totaling VND18 billion (US$857,050).

Performances and other communal activities held during the festival also appealed to a good number of tourists.

In Hue’s iconic nha ruong (wooden houses), the artisans showcased their dexterity in such crafts as silk, brocade weaving, embroidery, pottery, lacquer, lattan items, copper casting and silversmithing. Spectators could also make their own items in some crafts with the artisans’ guidance.

This year’s festival also featured the first-ever international textile exhibition themed “Metamorphoses” from France, and another exhibition on bamboo products by Japanese artist Ueno Masao.

Nguyen Dang Thanh, vice chair of Hue People’s Committee, said that after the festival, the province will carry out projects to develop its traditional crafts and craft villages and make the best of them in tourism services.

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