Shannan prefecture in Tibet autonomous region will host the 2012 Tibet Yalong Culture Festival from Aug 17-23. The opening show will be the musical Yarlung Zangbo.

The week-long event also includes Tibetan folk song competitions, traditional sports and a group wedding where the brides and bridegrooms will travel the route that Princess Wencheng and Songtsen Gampo toured some 1,300 years ago.

Yalong River, a branch of the Yarlung Zangbo River, in Shannan prefecture, is considered the birthplace of Tibetans. Started in 1996, the annual festival has helped to promote Tibetan culture and boost tourism in Shannan prefecture.