Spirits high as beach town readies for first kite fest

Ba Ria-Vung Tau (VNA/VNS) - Vietnam 's first International Kite Festival gets underway on March 27 in the southern beach city of Vung Tau .

The three-day festival, themed Vu Dieu Bien Dong (The East Sea Dance), has attracted
kite artisans and connoisseurs from 17 countries and territories: Australia ,
Cambodia , Canada , China , Taiwan , France , the UK , the US , Germany ,
India , Indonesia , Malaysia , New Zealand , the Philippines , Singapore ,
Thailand and Vietnam .

Following the event will be a parade of Volkswagen automobiles carrying kites.

After the parade, an exhibition will present the longest kite at the festival
brought by the Indonesian delegation at 275m and the largest kite by the US .
India presents the longest tradition of kite flying with the Sun City Kite Club
founded in 1875, while Vietnamese kite makers will show off their big kites carrying
bamboo flutes.

Excitement will rent the air as a sky fight breaks out between kites and balloons
from the French and the Filipino teams known for their kite-fighting tradition.

All festivities of the opening ceremony will place at the Ho Tram Beach Resort in
Xuyen Moc district.

A special night kite performance themed Sac Mau Khong Gian (Colour of Space) with
sound and lights was also held on March 26 at the resort, after a four-day
exhibition displaying kites from participating countries and presenting information
tracing the history of kite flying opened.

Cao Lap, director of the Ho Tram Beach Resort as well as deputy director of the
organising committee, said the International Kite Festival will become an annual
event in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province.-Enditem