The city of Datong, Shanxi province will be holding its 2013 Ancient Capital Lantern Festival in three parts of the city – the south wall, east wall, and north wall， Feb 15 - 28.

Sponsors are the municipal Party committee and municipal government. The purpose is to provide some colorful cultural activities for the locals during the spring festival and to show the world the charming side of Datong and its culture.

The 15-day festival is expected to be an all-encompassing, magnificent affair, one where all the people can enjoy folk handicrafts, local culture, and try all types of tasty local tidbits.

There will be four exhibition sites, each with a different theme -- classic scenic spots, folklore, cultural revival, and fashionable interaction -- to create a magical world combining traditional artwork and modern technology.

The festival will be a public forum for the classic cultural brands of Datong to help the development of the city’s cultural tourism industry.

Edited by Roger Bradshaw