Edinburgh Festival Carnival started on Sunday with music, dance, costumes, and street entertainment in all shapes, sizes, and sounds on Princes Street and in Princes Street Gardens at the city center.

With free admission for all, a total of 400 performers from Caribbean countries, Spain, Poland, Hungary, France, China and Britain among others presented over 35 colorful and fantastic acts to the audiences and visitors.

The programs from the Chinese community in Edinburgh included tai chi, ethnic dances, dragon and lion dancing, and attracted many adults and children looking on with smiles on their faces.

Li Ruiyou, Chinese Consul General in Edinburgh, told Xinhua that the Edinburgh Festival Carnival, which started the Summer Festival season, is a good platform for cultural exchanges.

The annual event was produced by Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, which was set up in 1978 and staged this year on July 19 to July 28, in association with City of Edinburgh Council.