Nguyen Thanh Thao's lotus leaf conical hats will be present at the 2019 Hue Traditional Craft Festival in the lotus space
More than 350 artisans from 60 famous craft villages
This year, the craft space is organized in a featured space with nearly 30 communal ruong houses, which are masterpieces of Hue wood carving and bamboo houses bearing the stamp of bamboo and rattan weaving at Nguyen Dinh Chieu walking street, Tu Tuong Park and Phan Boi Chau Park. Here, over 350 artisans and "golden hands" from 60 famous craft villages in the country such as Ha Giang, Hoa Binh, Hanoi, Thai Binh, Ha Nam, Ninh Thuan, Lam Dong, Dong Thap, Hung Yen, and Hue have the opportunity to show their talents and exchange experiences.
In order to ensure sufficient products to serve the people and tourists during the festival, this year, the craft villages and craft establishments in the province have prepared a rich source of goods in both quality and product designs. At this festival, Phuoc Tich (Phong Dien) pottery facility has produced nearly 1,000 products of all kinds, focusing on decorative and household products, such as flower vases, teapots, cups, and statues of the zodiac animals...
"From the Hue Traditional Craft Festival 2005 until now, Phuoc Tich pottery has not only been sold in the province but also extended to other provinces and cities in the country through orders of partners signed at the festival periods. Therefore, in order to participate in this craft space alongside Bat Trang ceramics, Phuoc Tich pottery has to renew products through firing techniques, mixing colors and artistry”, the owner, Mr. Luong Thanh Hien shared.
Designer Minh Hanh, the director of 3 key programs at the Hue Traditional Craft Festival 2019: the opening ceremony, Ao Dai festival and the closing ceremony, said that the biggest effect of each festival was to witness the revival and development of craft villages; the joy and excitement of artisans as well as the change of the city.
At Hue Traditional Craft Festival 2019, each space is a story about the crafts, introducing a focus on traditional handicraft products bearing Vietnamese marks as well as international integration.
Ms. Hanh said that Hue is a famous land for lotus cultivation, but Dong Thap has been the province which has been developing lotus products. Therefore, at this festival, Hue and Dong Thap have the opportunity to exchange and showcase products made from lotus at lotus space; the silk space will be the place to introduce traditional dresses, including the immediate ao dai tailoring service; the space of brocade weaving, rattan weaving, kite and calligraphy will blend together, creating a unique and attractive craft space. Currently, the erection of the central stage is almost finished, ready for programs and festivals to serve Hue people and tourists.
10 international cities and organizations participating in the festival
Head of Hue City Culture and Information Department, Deputy Director of the Organizing Committee of the Festival, Ms. Pham Thi Quynh Dao said, unlike the previous 7 festivals, Hue Traditional Craft Festival 2019 will be held longer (lasting 7 days, from April 26 to May 2, 2019). In the previous years, the festivals only lasted less than 5 days.
In addition to the featured programs from previous festivals such as the Ao Dai festival, the ancestor of the arts ceremony, the ceremony of honoring the profession, the culinary festival, and Hue international balloon festival, this year, Hue Traditional Craft Festival will include the flower festival and impressive craft spaces. In addition, the Hue Traditional Craft Festival is gradually moving towards internationalization with the participation of 10 international cities and organizations, including 7 cities, 2 associations and 1 business from Japan, Korea, China, and Turkey with 68 artists attending.
According to Ms. Dao, one of the new features of Hue Traditional Craft Festival 2019 is the policy of reducing budget expenditures for festival activities and aiming at increasing the proportion of funding from mobilizing social resources. In addition, the space for introducing traditional crafts at this year's festival is also a notable highlight. In particular, the organizing committee have arranged many spaces with beautiful and artistic decorations such as the space to honor artisans and craft villages, the space to introduce traditional products of international cities, the space for Lotus, Brocade, Silk and Ao dai (including immediate ao dai tailoring service), the space of Hue Oriental medicine, the space for bamboo and rattan, Kites and Calligraphy...
Chairman of Hue City People's Committee and Head of the Traditional Craft Festival 2019 Organizing Committee, Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh affirms that the Traditional Craft Festival 2019 is a great cultural and economic event, honoring the elite values of the heritage. It also improves the efficiency of production and business for traditional handicraft industries. At the same time, the festival strengthens the joint venture, association and investment cooperation in all fields, especially in promoting socio-economic growth, combining traditional products with tourism, and domestic and international consumer markets.
According to Mr. Thanh, to ensure facilities, especially hotels, motels for tourists, the city has directed accommodation facilities in the area to strengthen the preparation of rooms and services. Hotels and restaurants are also requested not to increase prices, and make back-up plans in case the tourists to Hue suddenly increase.
The city has mobilized people in the area to support accommodation and construction of homestay services; designed tours to destinations which have festival-related activities such as a tour to Phuoc Tich ancient village, thanh tra pomelo gardens in Thuy Bieu, bronze casting Duc Ward...
This is also the time for the city to promote traditional specialty brands, cultural and culinary spaces along with the traditional craft festival. To date, the preparation for Hue Traditional Craft Festival 2019 is basically completed and ready for the opening day of the festival.
Story and photos: Thanh Huong