The 2014 Khau Vai Love MarketCulture-Tourism Week kicked off in Meo Vac district, the northernmountainous province of Ha Giang on April 24 evening with the legendarylove story staged by Cai Luong (reformed opera) artists.

Visitors will have chances to join the market day’s activities and tryto weave linen, make brocades and pan-pipes together with localartisans, and ride horses.

A string ofcultural activities will also be held during the week such as goat, cowand nightingale fighting festivals, horse races, and incense offering attwo temples in Khau Vai commune.

Especially, a beauty pageant will be held for the first time for young girls from mountainous areas in the province.

In addition, there will be a seminar on preserving and promoting the cultural values of the stone plateau.

The hundred-year-old festival, which is held annually in the thirdlunar month, is a popular meeting place for ethnic groups in thelocality, particularly those in love.

Legend has itthat a couple who very much loved each other but could not livetogether made the promise to meet once every year in Khau Vai on the27th of the third lunar month. From then on, the festival has been heldevery year on this day for ex-lovers to meet.

The event has now become a tourist attraction, drawing in visitors from across the country and foreigners as well.-VNA