An international plum blossom festival will be held from March 1 to 18 in the capital of east China's Jiangsu Province.
The plum blossom is Nanjing's official flower, and each year local people traditionally go to view plum blossoms in early spring.
Nanjing Vice Mayor Jiang Yude said the opening ceremony of the 18-day plum blossom festival, which has the theme "folk art tourism," will feature scenery, cultural heritage and the current development of Nanjing.
A variety of activities, including parades, vocal and dance performances, a miniature plum blossom trees exhibition, and a tourism fair will be held during the festival.
(Xinhua News Agency February 25, 2002)