The first Lanzhou International Folk Art Festival kicked off Saturday in Lanzhou, capital city of northwest China's Gansu Province, delivering a series of exotic performances.

Over 200 artists from Canada, Poland, Belgium, Croatia, Israel and Thailand, together with local professional or civil artistic groups, conjured a free sight feast for local citizens.

The one-week festival will stage a variety of shows along the Yellow River within the city, to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of People's Republic of China.

Hosted by Chinese Committee with International Council of Folklore Festival Organizations (CIOFF) and Lanzhou municipal government, the festival is believed to enhance the reputation of Lanzhou and cross-cultural communication.

(Global Times August 17, 2009)