According to statistics from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the province currently has 247 traditional festivals, of which 6 large-scale traditional festivals have been recognized as national intangible cultural heritage, including: the Tro Ngo festival (Huu Lien commune); the Na Nhem festival (Hung Vu commune); the Ky Cung Temple - Ta Phu Temple festival (Dong Kinh and Ky Lua wards); the Phai Lua festival (Hong Phong commune); the Bung Kham festival (That Khe commune) and the Bac Nga Pagoda festival (Ky Lua ward).
Promoting the beauty of culture
Attending the Lồng Tồng festival in Lương Văn Tri ward on the 5th day of the first lunar month, Mr. Bùi Văn Nam, a tourist from Hai Phong, shared: "This is my second time returning to this festival. What impressed me most was the meticulous organization, from the facilities to the security and order. Especially this year, I was very impressed to witness firsthand the ritual of going down to the fields and plowing the first furrow of the year, a beautiful spiritual cultural tradition of the local people. That image brought a feeling of peace and hope for the new year. In addition, I also got to participate in folk games and listen to unique sli songs... I feel this is not just a spring outing, but a true cultural discovery ."
Speaking about the organization of the festival, Mr. Tran Tien Nguyen, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the People's Committee of Luong Van Tri Ward, said: "In order to meticulously prepare the conditions to welcome tourists during this year's festival, we have developed a plan to organize activities celebrating the Party, the Spring Festival, and traditional festivals. For the Long Tong festival associated with the Pac Moong communal house and the Tien Pagoda festival, the People's Committee of the ward has issued a plan assigning specific and detailed tasks to each official in charge of various aspects. In particular, we also focus on restoring traditional cultural values at the festivals, thereby not only helping people preserve their identity but also creating unique tourism products, contributing to promoting socio -economic development in the area."
Not only in Luong Van Tri ward, but at this time of year, traditional festivals are taking place in almost all villages and hamlets of Lang Son province. These festivals have become indispensable cultural events with a series of unique activities such as: the Long Tong ritual (going down to the fields), the lion-cat dance, folk songs, folk dances, and traditional games. Notably, many large-scale festivals cleverly incorporate games and performances right from the opening day, creating a spiritual space that is both solemn and respectful, rich in traditional educational values and attractive to tourists.
For example, the Na Nhem festival (Hung Vu commune), where the procession of Tang Thinh and Mat Nguyet, unique symbols of male and female reproductive organs, has created a strong media impact on social media platforms in recent years. Along with this are solemn rituals and a series of folk games such as: Scholar - Farmer - Craftsman - Merchant, swinging, chess, etc., contributing to preserving traditional customs within modern life.
For example, at the Khòn Lèng village festival (Tam Thanh ward), visitors can witness the reverence shown through the worship of the God of Agriculture, along with the meaningful ritual of plowing and sowing seeds at the beginning of the year. Meanwhile, the Bủng Kham festival (Thất Khê commune) takes viewers into a pristine spiritual world with rituals of praying to the gods of the fields, the God of Agriculture, and the God of the Land, followed by the ritual of going to the fields and sowing blessings (giving gifts). The festival space is further enlivened by a variety of folk games such as stick pushing, tug-of-war, throwing the ball, swinging, and most notably, the Chẹt khum game (also known as Ô Ăn Quan), a unique traditional cultural feature of the Tay and Nung people in this area.
Transform heritage into assets.
To preserve and enhance the value of festivals for tourism purposes, from 2021 to the present, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has implemented many important solutions to promote the value of traditional festivals associated with tourism development. Mr. Luu Ba Mac, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said: "The spring festival is a good opportunity for Lang Son to promote its unique cultural features to tourists from near and far. To create a lasting impression on tourists, every year we issue directives and guidelines for managing festival activities to each locality. Simultaneously, we also coordinate the restoration of some rituals in traditional festivals; teach, establish, and maintain models of folk song and lion dance troupes… We encourage people to perform traditional cultural heritage at festivals; and at the same time, we focus on disseminating information about protecting and promoting the beautiful traditional cultural features of the nation to the people."
Accordingly, from 2020 to the present, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has organized 23 exhibitions and displays on intangible cultural heritage, including traditional festivals; coordinated the publication of 5,000 news articles and reports reflecting cultural activities… At the same time, it has combined the ceremonial part with the festive part, promoted wearing ethnic costumes, organized booths to display and sell local specialty products… In addition, it has promoted and encouraged people to perform traditional cultural heritage at festivals and promoted the preservation and promotion of the beautiful traditional cultural features of the nation...
The spring festival is also a good opportunity for Lang Son to promote its unique cultural features to tourists from near and far. Therefore, from 2022 to the present, relevant levels and sectors in the province have been creative in their promotional work, proactive in organization, and invested in human and material resources to elevate the festival, creating one that is both rich in cultural identity and meets the needs of participants.
Annually, specialized units produce 2 to 5 videos; print and distribute 3,000 to 4,000 leaflets and promotional publications about tourism, all of which incorporate promotion of typical festivals in Lang Son province. In particular, the intensified communication through social media and press agencies before the festival takes place has helped travel agencies proactively develop plans and effectively market tours to domestic and international tourists.
Thanks to efforts to promote its image, Lang Son's tourism has experienced strong growth. By 2025, the total number of visitors to Lang Son is estimated to reach over 4.4 million, a 5.3% increase compared to 2024. Tourism revenue is estimated at approximately 4,500 billion VND. Notably, traditional festivals are a key factor driving this growth. The Ky Cung - Ta Phu Festival alone created a tourism "buzz" at the beginning of 2025, attracting nearly 1 million visitors in 7 days (from February 19th to 24th, 2025), an increase of nearly 300,000 people compared to the same period in 2024, with estimated revenue of 985 billion VND. These positive results are an important foundation for Lang Son to continue effectively exploiting the value of traditional festivals, developing more unique and attractive tourism products, commensurate with the province's inherent potential.
When cultural traditions are properly preserved and disseminated, Lang Son will undoubtedly become an unmissable destination, where each festival is a unique tourism product, capable of captivating visitors and awakening the inherent potential of this borderland at the northernmost point of the country.
Source: https://baolangson.vn/le-hoi-truyen-thong-don-bay-du-lich-xu-lang-5078471.html
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