Ha Giang to host panpipe fest

A Mong panpipe festival is set to take place in Dong Van district in the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang on August 21-22.
About 300 artist will join the two-day festival performing Legend of Panpipe, Melody of a New Day and Dancing with the Sound of Panpipe.
The Viet Nam Guinness record for the biggest Mong panpipe will also be announced.
The panpipe is a wind instrument consisting of even numbers of small bamboo tubes. It is popular with the 190,000 Mong population living in the province's northern districts of Meo Vac, Quan Ba, Dong Van and Yen Minh.
It is usually used to express compassion for the dead at funerals as well as to show talent in community activities.
Provincial department of culture, sports and tourism director Nguyen Trung Thuong said the festival would be an opportunity to dance and play traditional and new songs and preserve the art.
"The festival is one of various cultural activities to celebrate 120th anniversary of the province," Sen Chin Ly, vice chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, said.
Also, the province will host 11 art troupes at the fifth provincial culture and sports festival for ethnic groups in Ha Giang city on August 17-20.
The latter festival includes an exhibition of ethnic culture, an arts performance and traditional festivals.
During this festival, the province will hold cultural events including an Arts Festival programme and Impression on Dong Van Rock Plateau Tourism Week.
Ly said the activities would promote Ha Giang as a tourism destination.