A tourism festival featuring folk arts is being held in Wuzhong City in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

The festival opened earlier this week with carnival parade, exhibition of handicrafts, sports activities and fireworks show which feature diversified folk arts and traditional culture. It will last till October this year.

Jointly sponsored by the State Tourism Administration and the local tourism bureau, the tourism event bears the theme of popularizing traditional Chinese arts, exhibit ethnic cultural customs and promote local economic development.

Related events include exhibition on traditional Spring Festival, temple fair, tour along the Yellow River, desert tour, and a series of art performances.

( Xinhua News Agency February 28, 2002)