Spreading the beauty of "free festivals" in the capital city.

The Lantern Festival in the first lunar month of 2026 in Thu Dau Mot ward (Ho Chi Minh City) and neighboring wards will continue to affirm its brand as a "free festival" with a large scale and well-organized structure. The highlight will be the procession of the Goddess Thien Hau, scheduled to take place on March 3rd at the Thien Hau Temple.

Safe and civilized festivals - A beautiful cultural tradition at the beginning of spring.

These days, the central area of ​​Thu Dau Mot ward is ablaze with flags, lanterns, and banners promoting civilized behavior during the festival. At the Thien Hau Temple, the number of pilgrims has increased sharply since the 13th day of the first lunar month, and is expected to peak on the 14th and 15th days of the first lunar month (March 2nd and 3rd).

The most anticipated event is the procession of the Goddess Thien Hau, which takes place on the 15th day of the first lunar month. The procession passes through many central streets, accompanied by the lively sounds of drums, lion dances, and dragon dances, and people stand on both sides of the road to worship and pray for peace and good fortune in the new year.

The management board of the Thien Hau Temple, in coordination with local authorities, is strengthening measures to ensure the festival takes place safely and in a civilized manner.

Ms. Nguyen Thu Cuc, Secretary of the Party Committee of Thu Dau Mot Ward, said that this year the administrative area has changed to a two-tiered local government model, and the local workforce is thinner than before. However, the locality has determined that the scale of the festival will not change, and ensuring safety must be the top priority.

“We proactively developed traffic management plans, ensured security and order, and prevented fires. The ward has proposed to the Ho Chi Minh City Police Department to increase the number of riot police during peak days. The principle is that the festival must be absolutely safe for residents and tourists,” Ms. Cúc emphasized.

According to the organizers, more than 100,000 people are expected to attend this year's festival. Key routes in the festival area will have personnel on duty 24/7; parking areas will be strategically arranged, with many free parking options available for the public on January 14th and 15th.

People were given free water. Photo taken at noon on February 28, 2026.

The ward also set up 34 uniform tents in the central area for organizations, businesses, and individuals to register to provide free drinking water and cold towels. In addition, thousands of vegetarian meals were carefully prepared by various organizations and benefactors to serve pilgrims.

"Free Festival" - Spreading the spirit of camaraderie in Thu Dau Mot

The Lantern Festival in Thu Dau Mot ward is commonly referred to by locals and social media users as the "free festival".

Mr. Tran Vinh An, Deputy Head of the Standing Committee of the Thien Hau Temple Management Board, shared: “The festival is a long-standing traditional cultural feature. The Management Board closely coordinates with the local government to organize solemn rituals in accordance with tradition, while also encouraging locals and tourists to practice civilized behavior, refrain from burning votive paper, seeking fortune telling, and exchanging small change within the temple grounds.”

Local forces participated in the campaign "Full Moon Festival of the First Lunar Month - For a Civilized, Safe, and Free Festival".

According to Mr. An, this year's procession will still maintain traditional rituals, but the route and timing will be adjusted to ensure safety. Logistics, security, and fire safety measures will all be thoroughly checked before the event takes place.

In particular, the ward organized four teams of motorbike taxis to provide free transportation for the elderly and children from the parking lot to the festival area. Many households along the streets voluntarily offered free drinking water and tire repair services to visitors. Free Wi-Fi was also installed in some areas with large crowds.

Alongside religious activities, the promotion of "civilized behavior during festivals" is being strongly implemented. Authorities regularly inspect and address issues such as touting, price gouging, and street vending encroaching on sidewalks and roads; and strictly control food safety at service establishments.

The anticipated surge in waste during peak days was also anticipated by the local authorities in advance. Mobile toilets have been set up at many locations to ensure urban aesthetics.

It is predicted that the number of tourists will increase dramatically between now and January 15th.

Amidst the throngs of people flocking to worship at the Thien Hau Temple, the sight of free meals, bottles of water, cold towels being handed out, and compassionate motorbike taxi rides... contributed to creating a unique mark of Thu Dau Mot - a place where festivals are not only sacred but also filled with warmth and human kindness.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hai, residing in Binh Long ward (Dong Nai province), shared that every year, she and her relatives arrange to visit the temple to offer incense and pray for good fortune at the beginning of the year. This is also an opportunity for the whole family to enjoy the spring festivities and savor the local cuisine .

"I was very impressed with the free tire repair services and the bottles of water handed out to tourists. It truly is a civilized and compassionate festival," added Ms. Hai.

Besides the Thien Hau Temple, people from all over also flocked to other religious sites such as Hoi Khanh Pagoda, Tay Tang Pagoda, Ong Ngua Pagoda (Thu Dau Mot ward), Khanh Hoi Pagoda ( Binh Duong ward), Thien Hau Pagoda (Lai Thieu ward), Niem Phat Pagoda (Thuan An ward)... creating a vibrant festival atmosphere that spread throughout Ho Chi Minh City.

Inside the Thien Hau Temple in Thu Dau Mot ward.

Thanks to the proactive and well-organized efforts of the local authorities, many visitors expressed their admiration for the friendliness and hospitality of the local people, contributing to the image of a solemn yet warm and welcoming spring festival.

MOOD - MINH DUY

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/lan-toa-net-dep-le-hoi-mien-phi-tai-dat-thu-post840362.html