A spectacular opening night at the Can Tho River Culture Festival.

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - On the evening of December 27th, Can Tho held the opening ceremony of the first River Culture Festival. This event honors the unique identity of the riverine culture and creates a highlight for tourism at the end of the year.

The first River Culture Festival is themed "Can Tho - The Colors of the River". This is the first large-scale cultural and tourism event to be organized, carrying the expectation of creating a prominent highlight for Can Tho at the end of the year and welcoming the new year 2026.

At the event, thousands of tourists and locals gathered in the Khai Luong canal area to watch flyboard performances with exciting spins and acrobatics in the air.

In addition, the opening night was impressive with a large-scale drone light show recreating the vibrant and colorful riverine culture with boats, floating markets, wedding processions on the river, and traditional boat races…

The organizers also deployed low-altitude fireworks to create a joyful and exciting atmosphere to welcome the festival.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ms. Nguyen Thuy Diep, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Can Tho City, emphasized that rivers and waterways are a fundamental cultural element, where alluvial deposits have nurtured crops, aquatic life, and brought prosperity to the local people.

She affirmed that the festival is not merely a space for fun and entertainment, but also an opportunity to promote the unique cultural characteristics of the Mekong Delta, while raising community awareness in protecting the environment and river ecosystems towards sustainable tourism development.

Ms. Diep added that, over the past year, the city's tourism industry has achieved positive results with more than 11 million visitors and revenue reaching nearly 10,000 billion VND. This festival serves as a bridge to spread the hospitality of the people of Tay Do, a place of "white rice and clear water" that always captivates visitors from afar.

The festival's activities will last continuously for 6 days, from December 27, 2025 to January 1, 2026, offering locals and tourists a wealth of experiences.

At the opening night, the organizers recreated the life of people living in the riverine region right on the stage. The lively trading activities on the docks and boats were truly impressive.

The organizers also cleverly recreated the scene of the Ngo boat race, a unique traditional festival of the Khmer people in Southern Vietnam, which takes place during the Oóc Om Bóc festival. This is a sport that promotes health, discipline, and is a distinctive spiritual and cultural feature closely associated with the formation and development of the Khmer people in the Southern region.

In addition, the festival also includes other activities such as photo exhibitions depicting life on the river, motorboat races, sailing races, SUP (stand-up paddleboarding) races, flyboard demonstrations, and a traditional cake and food fair, attracting the attention of many locals and tourists.

The Can Tho River Culture Festival 2025 attracted the attention of thousands of locals and tourists. The event not only contributed to improving the spiritual life of the people but also affirmed the city's central position, promising to leave a lasting impression on visitors about a dynamic yet culturally rich Mekong Delta.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/man-nhan-voi-dem-khai-mac-le-hoi-van-hoa-song-nuoc-can-tho-20251227211703561.htm