The Dalat Flower Festival 2005 opened with an artistic performance on a floating stage on poetric Xuan Huong Lake in Dalat City of central highlands Lam Dong Province on Dec. 10, 2005.

The performance of nearly 1,000 artists in cherry-coloured silk dresses lifted the curtain on.

At the opening ceremony of the festival, nine local flower growers and Thomas Hoff, Director of the Hasfarm flower company, who paved the way for the development of Dalat's flower growing industry, were honoured as flower artists. Vice President Truong My Hoa presented the title to the farmers.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan said at the ceremony that the Festival was also an occasion to honour flower growers all over the country, to advertise the flower trademarks of Dalat and Vietnam, and to promote tourism.

He expressed hope that the festival would become a regular event with a larger scale, national or international.

The magnificent performance of more than 160 flower-carrying vehicles has made deep impressions on tourists. Tourists were enchanted to see ten automobiles decorated with flowers in ten different designs, 35 old-styled automobiles, 30 scooters and fleets of two-seat bicycles, four-seat and six-seat bicycles, all decorated with flowers passing on the streets.

Dalat Flower Festival 2005 which will last until Dec. 18 encompasses many interesting activities such as flower expositions at which special kinds of flower from many countries and territories will be on show. Festival organisers will also set out the “Mysterious Central HighlandsEpark, arrange festive nights of wine and love, and a wedding party for more than 100 domestic and foreign couples.

(Source: VNA)