Khmer Cultural, Sports and Tourism Festival 2025
This year's festival will take place for 3 days, from November 4 to 6, 2025 (15 to 19 of the 9th lunar month), on a provincial scale, expected to attract about 200,000 - 250,000 people from inside and outside the province to attend. This is a key cultural event, contributing to promoting the image of An Giang people as gentle, hospitable and imbued with national identity.
The Festival program consists of two main parts: the ceremony and the festival. The ceremony is organized solemnly, imbued with Khmer folk beliefs with the Opening Ceremony and Ngo boat racing taking place at 7:30 am on November 5, along with the Moon Worshiping Ceremony in the evening of the same day - a sacred ritual, expressing gratitude to heaven and earth, praying for favorable weather, bountiful crops, and prosperity for the villagers.
The festival is a series of exciting, rich and imbued with Khmer cultural identity such as: displaying images and artifacts of Khmer people with the theme "Colors of Khmer cultural heritage in An Giang province", book exhibition, trade fair - introducing OCOP products and local specialties, beautiful water-land frame making contest, Khmer Traditional Arts Festival in An Giang province in 2025. These activities not only introduce the unique tangible and intangible heritage of Khmer people but also arouse pride, awareness of preserving and promoting national cultural values in the integration period.
Along with the cultural activities are a series of traditional and modern sports competitions, creating a joyful and bustling atmosphere throughout the Go Quao area. In particular, the traditional Ngo boat race - the soul of the Ok Om Bok festival - has the participation of 55 teams from many localities, competing in the following distances: 800m men (20 teams), 1,200m men (21 teams) and 800m mixed men and women (14 teams). The urging sound of drums and the bustling oars on the river promise to bring exciting moments, demonstrating the solidarity and community strength of the Khmer people.
In addition, the festival also has modern sports tournaments such as Taekwondo, football and volleyball, creating a space for exchange between athletes of different ethnic groups, spreading the spirit of sports and encouraging the movement of health training in the community.
The festival is not only an occasion for cultural exchange but also an opportunity to promote local tourism and trade. Through exhibition booths and fairs, An Giang's typical products such as rice, seafood, handicrafts, and OCOP products are introduced to visitors inside and outside the province. This is an opportunity for businesses, cooperatives, and craft villages to promote their products, seek cooperation opportunities, and contribute to increasing income and improving people's lives.