The first International Lantern Art Festival kicked off its opening ceremony in Hefei city, provincial capital of East China's Anhui province, to celebrate the official opening of China Intangible Cultural Heritage Park on Dec 18.

All the lanterns in the heritage park were lit up and dazzling fireworks were set off in the sky the night before, decorating the park with a riot of colors.

A highlight of the festival was a live performance given by folk art masters, who showed visitors how to make lanterns, shadow plays, clay sculpture and egg carving.

"I have been crazy about it since I first touched paper-cutting 40 years ago. I have been apprenticing some young men because I want more people to learn this art and carry the heritage forward," said Ge Chongyun, a paper-cutting master, who kept dexterously turning out all kinds of patterns with quick strokes of scissors at a display stand in the park.

The park at the night was bustling with visitors from home and abroad. "It's the first time I have been to China, and the festival and the park help me to know more about China and its culture," said William Cooper, a visitor from England who made his trip with his girlfriend to watch the festival.

"For my child, it is not only playtime, but also a great opportunity to get exposed to our national heritage," said Ding Zhenyun, a Hefei native brought her child to see the lanterns.

Hua Jianhui, vice-governor of Anhui Province, declared the launching of the festival and some other high-lever provincial leaders attended this ceremony.

The lantern festival, hosted by Changfeng county people's government, was claimed to be the largest of its kind in China and will display for five months in this park. "China Intangible Cultural Heritage Park, with both cultural and social values, will enhance people's awareness of cultural preservation and boost the local economy," said Guo Chao, deputy director of Hefei Municipal People's Congress at the ceremony.