The quadrennial Minorities Art Festival of Guizhou opened in Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province, on Oct 30, presenting the rich splendor of ethnic minorities in the region.

This year's event, the sixth in the festival's history, will last until Dec 4. There will be 12 stage performances displaying scenes of local life and the latest artistic innovations of Guizhou's ethnic minorities.

Guizhou boasts 17 aboriginal ethnic groups, including Miao, Bouyei, Dong, Shui, Gelao, Yi and Tujia. People of different ethnic groups make up 36.1 percent of the total population.

The festival will also give prizes for best plays and outstanding individuals. It will tour to nine of Guizhou's cities and regions to give audiences throughout the province a chance to enjoy the creations of all the minority groups.

The secretary of the Guizhou Provincial CPC Committee, Sun Zhigang, and acting governor of Guizhou province Shen Yiqin attended the opening ceremony, as did other officials.

The sixth Minorities Art Festival of Guizhou opens in Guiyang on Oct 30. [Photo/xinhuanet.com]