The 2014 Hue Festival, which opened last Saturday and closes this Sunday evening, has been enthusiastically applauded by domestic and international tourists alike.

Among well over 49,000 tourists, including some 21,600 foreigners, who have flocked to Hue City in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue to join the ongoing festival, many of them are eager to watch as many shows as they can.

Abbit, a 26-year-old British tourist, stood out from the thousands of festival goers during the “Dem Hoang Cung” (Royal Night) on April 15 for donning a gorgeous “ao dai” (traditional Vietnamese long gown).

When the re-creation of the Vietnamese artists as royal concubines and maids ended, Abbit stepped onto the sparkling stages and posed for photos taken by her boyfriend.

She said that the couple had planned to tour Ho Chi Minh City before arriving in Da Lat, a resort city in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong.

As soon as they learned of the Hue Festival through a friend, the two immediately changed their schedule and flew to Hue in time for the shows.

“Do you think this ‘ao dai’ looks great on me? I had it tailored in HCMC for me to don during the Hue Festival. I really love to be immersed in the enigmatic atmosphere of this ‘Royal Night’ show, and be able to choose among those given by artists from different countries. We’re absolutely satisfied with our choice here,” Abbit shared.

Meanwhile, Jairt Fokr, a Belgian tourist, was quite surprised and impressed by the stilt-walking performance by Belgium’s De Steltenlopers van Merchtem troupe, which has performed at the Hue Festival since 2008.

“It’s the first time I’ve enjoyed a performance by a Belgian art troupe in another country. Their display is superb and the atmosphere is fantastic,” he said.

Professional, regular visitors

Many local tourists have also been ‘addicted’ to the Hue Festival since its debut in 2000.

Among them, Tien Ca, 40, a Hue native who has been working in HCMC for almost 20 years now, has never missed any of the biennial event’s editions. 

Ca has always arranged his hectic work schedule to arrive well in time for the opening.

He even studies the festival’s performing agenda carefully to make sure he can join as many shows as possible.

“I’ve wanted to watch several troupes two times or more, but I can’t as I have to save time for many others. Despite my careful planning, I’ve never been able to enjoy all the shows at the festival. The artists not only showcase their talents and skills but also their bountiful energy and enthusiasm, which make their performances flawless must-sees,” Ca said. Many tourists from other cities and provinces also gather in groups to join the festival and note even the slightest changes in the agenda to make sure they will not miss any of their favorite shows.

“It’s a precious opportunity to be able to relish the diverse art and culture from 37 countries. Even when we travel to those countries, we’re unlikely to afford the time and money to join many such pyrotechnics,” a tourist exclaimed.

Hue locals are also excited about the event. They exchange information on the shows, particularly free ones.

“They are really great. Only at the Hue Festival can average people like me enjoy so many enchanting foreign performances,” said Dang Hoang Son, of the city’s Thuy Xuan Ward, who has taken his wife and kids to attend the festival for three consecutive nights.

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