Ban flowers bloom in spring in Vietnam's northern region (Photo: VNA)

Highlights of this year’s festival include a typical mountain market session and an art program.

The market session occurred Wednesday near the command tunnel of French General De Castries in Dien Bien Phu city. On display were farm produce and handicraft products, such as weaving, panpipes, and embroidery. Folk games, folk music, and traditional rituals were demonstrated.

Pham Viet Dung, Director of the Dien Bien provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, said: “We wanted to create a typical market session of the minority people living in the northwestern border provinces, where they trade their hand-made products and show off their traditional customs. Such markets have become a big tourist attraction.”