The festival opens on August 18, 2019.

The event drew nearly 1,000 artisans, actors, actresses and athletes, mostly from ethnic groups in Son La, Hoa Binh, Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, and Phu Tho provinces.

As part of the festival, an exhibition entitled “The colors of Vietnam’s northwestern region” featuring 280 photos about Vietnam’s ethnic groups, was held the same day. Nguyen Thi Hai Nhung, Head of the Ethnic Culture Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said: "On display are photos contributed by 7 provinces as well as their local cuisine to honor traditional cultural values. The festival is expected to contributing to realizing Party Resolution No.9 on promoting Vietnam’s people and cultural to meet the country’s development requirements."

Photos of local ethnic groups on display

The three-day festival features a string of activities including photo exhibitions depicting local culture and tourism, ethnic costume shows, sports and art performances.