The country’s first ceramics festival will take place in Thu Dau Mot Town, Binh Duong Province from September 2-8, and is themed Ceramics of Vietnam - Tradition, Character and Development. This event, named Ceramics Festival Vietnam-Binh Duong 2010, is also meant to mark the 65th August Revolution, the National Day on September 2 and the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.

The festival will honor craftsmen, and the traditional ceramic trade villages of Vietnam in general and of Binh Duong Province in particular, said Do Khac Diep, director of Binh Duong Province Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The festival will be staged in different venues in the town, including Binh Duong Province Stadium, the provincial Cultural Center, Binh Duong Museum, Dai Nam Tourist, and Cultural and Historical Zone, featuring over 600 pavilions to display and sell ceramic products, Diep said at a press conference on the festival held on Wednesday in HCMC.

The country’s ceramic trade villages and those of regional countries such as China, Japan, Korea, Laos or Cambodia will showcase their typical ceramic products. At the event, collections of ancient ceramic items from Dinh, Le, Ly, and Tran dynasties will be on display. Moreover, many activities such as a competition on making handicraft ceramic products, a food fest, and a seminar on Vietnam’s ceramics will take place at the festival. It is a boon for tourists wanting to take a glimpse at the traditional trade as well, said Nguyen Van Tan from the HCMC representative office of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

“Domestic tour operators will be launching many tours to the festival as well as other tourists attractions in Binh Duong Province,” said Tan.

The organizer will prepare over 1,700 hotel rooms in Binh Duong to meet the demand of tourists during five days of the festival.