Nghinh Ong Festival is imbued with the cultural identity of An Giang coastal region.

With the theme “Kien Hai Special Zone – Aspiration to Reach Far”, the Nghinh Ong Festival in 2025 not only carries traditional religious and cultural values but is also an event that attracts a large number of tourists to the Kien Hai sea area. Coming to the festival, visitors can immerse themselves in a unique spiritual and cultural space with traditional rituals, showing respect for the sea god who always protects and cares for fishermen when going to sea. This is also an opportunity to promote to visitors near and far the unique cultural features, material and spiritual values that need to be preserved, conserved and promoted by the people of the sea and islands.

Through the festival activities, the locality also creates conditions for investors to meet, exchange, seek cooperation opportunities, and effectively exploit the potential and advantages that nature has bestowed on the sea and islands of Kien Hai special economic zone in particular and the sea and islands of the Southwest of the country in general.

Nghinh Ong Festival is imbued with the cultural identity of An Giang coastal region - photo 2 — Art program opening the festival.

In the coming time, the Party Committee, government and people of Kien Hai special zone will continue to focus on managing, exploiting, preserving and promoting the cultural heritage value of the Whale Festival. The locality hopes to receive the cooperation of organizations, individuals, business communities and people in mobilizing resources to invest in construction, renovation, environmental protection and natural landscapes, contributing to sustainable tourism development.

The Nghinh Than Festival is held at the historical and cultural relic of Nam Hai Dai Tuong Quan Temple. This is the main ritual of the Nghinh Ong Festival, to pray for calm seas and favorable winds, for fishermen to sail smoothly, for a good harvest, and for a peaceful and prosperous life. The ritual is combined with the Nghinh Than festival on the river and at sea of fishermen, becoming a unique folk cultural and religious festival, associated with many generations of coastal residents of Lai Son, Kien Hai.

Nghinh Ong Festival is imbued with the cultural identity of An Giang coastal region - photo 3 — Nghinh Ong Festival is imbued with the cultural identity of the coastal region.

The opening of the Welcoming the Gods Ceremony is a drum performance performed by the Provincial Cultural and Arts Center. This is followed by the reading of the funeral oration by the Communal House Worship Committee, with delegates and people offering incense. After the ceremony, the spirit is invited, the Welcoming the Gods are carried out to sea, the offering of offerings to the sea is performed and the ceremony is moved to the Nam Hai Dai Tuong Quan Communal House, ending the ceremony in a solemn and respectful atmosphere.

With the unique cultural values of coastal and island residents, the Nghinh Ong Festival in Lai Son commune, Kien Hai special zone is increasingly preserved, promoted and attracts a large number of people and tourists from near and far to attend.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/le-hoi-nghinh-ong-mang-dam-ban-sac-van-hoa-vung-bien-an-giang-185941.html