Hoi An’s olden days re-created at ongoing Quang Nam Festival

The ancient Hoi An town of 100 years ago was vividly re-created at the ongoing 2013 Quang Nam Festival, which runs till June 26 with more exciting events to come.

With all its lights put out on the evening of June 21, Hoi An became enigmatically gorgeous in the glistening light emitted from old-styled lamps, lanterns and candles.

The lighted, colorful lanterns were floating in a creek beneath the Cau pagoda.

Tourists were releasing the lighted, colorful lanterns on the Hoai river.

Street food stalls selling local specialties drew lots of tourists.

The town was packed with locals and foreigners alike, who posed for photos, went sightseeing, indulged in music performances, folk games and relished local specialties peddled along the streets.

Hundreds of lighted flowered lanterns were floated on the Hoai river, drawing crowds of visitors who sat along the banks, releasing and contemplating the lanterns.

The 3rd International Choir Competition, a highlight of the festival, ended on June 21, with the choir Louis Ville Cardinal Singers from the US pocketing the first prize.

The organizer gave away 12 golds and 6 silvers in all categories, including chamber music, kid, youth, all-male, all-female, male-female, 18-19th century hymn and folk choirs.

The Vietnamese teams won a gold in folk choir and a silver in kid choir.

The competition, put on by Interkultur, a German top address for major musical events on a global scale in all kinds of ensembles, attracted over 500 artists from 15 troupes in seven countries and territories.

The programs called “The Vietnamese, ASEAN, S. Korean and Japanese cultural heritage space,” “The Heritage Cuisine Space” and an exhibit on antiques of the Dong Son – Sa Huynh – Oc Eo cultures, other highlights of the festival, also kicked off yesterday.

Tourists joined the exhibition showcasing other provinces' cultural values held at the An Hoi garden.