(VOVworld) – The jubilant atmosphere of the full-moon festival prevails every corner especially in the Old Quarter of Hanoi. Colorful lanterns, masks and moon cakes are sold everywhere in the streets, making the children more eager for the festival.

Hang Ma street in Mid-autumn festival (Photo: laodong.com.vn)

Hang Ma, Luong Van Can, Hang Bong, Hang Duong streets and Dong Xuan market are much busier every mid-autumn festival. Toys of different kinds, lanterns and moon cakes are sold on two sides of the streets. The sound of dragon and lion dances makes people more excited. This year, toys are diversified in terms of patterns and kinds but traditional toys made by traditional handicraft villages are widely sold in the market. Le Thi Hong Thuong, who owns a toy shop in Hang Ma street, said Vietnamese toys are more beautiful and sold at reasonable prices. Paper lanterns of cartoon figures are the most favorite this year: “Vietnamese toys dominate the Mid-Autumn market this year. Star-shaped lanterns, and traditional drums are the most popular”.

Various activities are held including exhibitions, fairs, folk games and music performances. A grand Old Quarter’s mid-autumn festival is held in Dong Xuan market and at the ancient house of 87 Ma May street. The program features folk games, lion dance, mid-autumn feast decorating contest, and lantern procession. The artisans teach the children how to make traditional lanterns, paper doctors, masks, lion heads and moon cakes. Nguyen Anh Thu from Cau Giay district said: “The program includes many folk games, which help me understand more about the tradition and cultures of ethnic minority people in Vietnam”.

Nguyen Thu Thuy from South Tu Liem district, Hanoi, shared her view: “I find that the games are useful for us. We hope that more such programs will be held”.

 On this occasion, a 2-meter-high lantern decorated with national hero figures was made by artisans and Viet village’s communal house group. Nguyen Van Quyen is a lantern making artisan in Cao Vien commune, Thanh Oai district, Hanoi: “We wish to hand over the skills to younger generations to preserve it. All the traditional games are the cultural values of Vietnam that need to be preserved”.

With the desire to create a useful playground for children on the occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the teachers and students of Vietnam Fine Arts University launched the project on “Make creative Vietnamese masks, happy with Mid-Autumn Festival together”. Participating in the project, the children can be creative to make their masks of figures close to life such as the Land Genie, Uncle Teu, a puppetry character and buffalo.