Organized as the highlight of the Ha Long Tourism Festival 2010 which took place from April 29 to May 2, 2010, Ha Long Carnival was opened at the outdoor theatre at Bai Chay Ferry, Quang Ninh Province in the evening of May 1. This was the biggest and the best Carnival festival that Quang Ninh has ever organized. The event had the participation of 3,000 professional and non-professional artists across the country and many tourists.

During two and a half hour of the event, the theme, “Ha Long towards 1000th anniversary of Thang Long – Ha Noi” was greatly featured with “Ha Long – Thang Long and International Friends” focus. It consisted of Art performance programs and Carnival festival. All performances dedicated to Thang Long – Ha Noi which presented many featured images of the capital – 1000 years old such as Ha Noi charming girls in Ao Dai, Khue Van Cac and Thap Rua (Tortoise Tower). The highlight of the event was Carnival. Thousands of artists participated in six performance themes subjected to Ha Long – the World wonder and the cradle of cultural heritage; Quang Ninh and tourism centers; Land and People of Mining; Industrial Integration; Thang Long – Ha Noi; and International Convergence. Many vehicles decorated with symbols of Yen Tu Pagoda, Ha Long, Mong Cai, Tuan Chau, local traditional market, Bai Chay bridge mock-up were on the Carnival. As a fantastic background of the street parade, on the Bay, tourist ships decorated with colored lights, flowers, flags and beautiful sails greatly contributed to the success of the evening.

One of special activities of the Carnival was “Ha Long Samba” dance. Many local people, foreign dancing groups and tourists join in dancing wearing costumes of characters of Vietnamese legend, different kind of flowers and species. They were happily hand in hand to blend in the parade.

The Carnival Night was closed with a beautiful fireworks performance in twenty minutes to bright the sky. From 2007, the annual Carnival Ha Long is organized to introduce tourism potential of Ha Long to tourists and countries. The Ha Long Tourism Festival closing ceremony will be held in the evening of May 2 with a featured performance entitled “Ha Long towards 1000th Thang Long – Ha Noi anniversary”.