Hue Festival to highlight children’s fairy tales

This year, the Hue Festival is targeting a new demographic: children. For the first time in its history, artists from all over will converge to celebrate the magic of fairy tales.

"Children will become primary festival participants," said Nguyen Le My Hoan, the event co-ordinator.

Organised at the 3.2 Park in front of the Hue Teachers University, the festival will have themed decorations such as the garden of the golden goose, based on the Grimm fairy tale of the same name.

Contributing to the ambience, thousands of Vietnamese children along with children of foreign diplomats across the country will draw pictures based on a Fairy Dream theme.

Members of the Hue Kite Club are expanding festivities to the windy spaces near Trang Tien bridge, teaching children how to make traditional kites in the shapes of colourful butterflies or eagles carrying princesses (like in the Vietnamese folk tale entitled Thach Sanh).

After that, children and artisans will release their kites to watch their fairy tale dreams take flight as onlookers cast their gazes upward.

Costumed children will parade, sing and dance in the streets. French artist Thoma Vuille, specialising in cat–shaped masks will provide feline displays.

He will teach children how to make the cat masks or even cat kites that will be exhibited.

Dreams come true

According to Hoan, the programme is original not only due to its subject and scale but because of its humanitarian approach.

"We wish everybody would show their love for children and encourage their talents," said Hoan.

"The goal of the fairy tale activities is to show the interest of the community towards children". During the festival’s closing ceremony on June 11, all the artistic works created by children will be auctioned.

"The money collected from the auction will be devoted to 28 children who have defective hearts," Hoan said.

"The money will also help build a school for San Diu, San Chay ethic minority students in Chang Hamlet, Dinh Thoa District, Thai Nguyen Province, right after the closing ceremony.

"Each year we plan to have an exhibition of children’s art work and have the money from the auction of the works on display go towards building a school for children in remote regions.

"The money will also help pay for operations for poor children suffering from heart diseases."

"We hope the children will enjoy the activities while also contributing to the humanitarian cause in their own way."
(Source: Viet Nam News)