The first Shanxi Art Festival opens in Taiyuan on Aug 18. A musical drama was staged at the opening ceremony, telling the story of generations of Party secretaries in Youyu county, Shanxi province. [Photo/sxrb.com]

The opening ceremony of the first Shanxi Art Festival took place at the Grand Theater in Taiyuan, on Aug 18.

More than 1,000 local residents from all walks of life attended, with the entertainment appearing to be well received.

The festival, running from Aug 18 to Sept 26, is organized by the provincial and Taiyuan governments, with the aim of entertaining residents, promoting local cultural development, as well as welcoming the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

It consists of 29 events in four different categories, including performances, exhibitions and competitions.