(VOVworld)-Hanoi’s Old Quarter is a must-see for any visitor to the capital city. Visiting the old quarter these days, visitors can learn more about the life and cultural traditions of Hanoi as local people are jubilantly celebrating the Mid-Autumn festival. 

Like other countries in Asia, Vietnam celebrates the Mid-Autumn festival on the 15^th day of the 8^th lunar month, the day when the moon is fullest. To Vietnamese people, the full moon is a symbol of happiness. On Mid-Autumn Day, families reunite, prepare feasts and moon cakes to welcome the moon, enjoy watching lion dances, and children run around playing games. Once again, the Hoan Kiem district People’s Committee has organized an Old Quarter Mid-Autumn Fair and Festival to promote historical and cultural values of the capital city. This is the 8^th year the event has been held. Do Xuan Thuy, Director of the Dong Xuan Joint Venture Company and member of the Organizing Board says: "The Mid-Autumn festival is held throughout the district, especially at cultural and historical relics in the Old Quarter. We have spread the festival to different localities to make it more popular".

The Mid-Autumn Fair with stalls selling toys and mid-autumn accessories stretches from Hang Ma, Hang Thiec street to Dong Xuan market to Hang Ngang, Hang Dao street. The festive atmosphere starts to build 2 weeks before the festival.

The most exciting place is Hang Ma, Hang Thiec street, where people sell all sorts of toys, games, and Mid-Autumn lanterns. At night, lanterns of all types including those made of glittering, colorful plastic make the ancient streets sparkle. We saw Vu Nhat Quang at the market with his little daughter. "I bring my children to Hang Ma and other streets in the old quarter to soak up the Mid-autumn festival’s atmosphere and buy some toys. We are very excited", said Quang..

Teens are also very excited about visiting the market to shop for accessories with which to celebrate the festival. In recent years, despite the import of modern toys, traditional ones like lion heads and  masks of various designs still inspire children and their parents because they are  reminiscent of festivals in the past. Vu Thi Thuy has bought a “to he”, a traditional toy figurine made of glutinous rice. "I read a newspaper article yesterday which said some traditional values have been lost. I bought this toy to contribute to help preserve cultural values of the old Hanoi", said Thuy.

The highlight of the Old Quarter’s Mid-Autumn Festival will occur on Saturday, 14^th day of the 8^th lunar month. Thousands of people will crowd into Hang Dao, Hang Duong, Dong Xuan and the streets around Hoan Kiem Lake. The central stage of the festival in front of the Dong Xuan market will present drum performances, lion dances and folk songs. Cao Bich Lan, Vice Chairwoman of Hoan Kiem district’s People’s Committee says: "During the festival, we will organize various activities around the old quarter. Particularly, in 4 heritage houses at 28 Hang Buom, 87 Ma May, and Kim Ngan temple at 42-43 Hang Bac street, we will organize painting exhibitions and invite artisans to showcase the arts of making traditional toys and games. By doing so, we hope visitors and children can learn more about how the traditional mid-autumn festival was held in the past".

To Tuan