The beauty of folk games at village festivals.

In the early days of spring, folk games at village festivals are captivating, attracting both locals and tourists.

Traditional folk games are organized to create a lively atmosphere for the New Year festival. PHOTO: THANH CHUNG

Rich in rural character

On the morning of February 22nd (the 6th day of the first lunar month), at the Bach Hao Pagoda festival in Thanh Ha commune, the sound of drums and cheers from the spectators added to the excitement of the teams participating in the boat race, rice cooking, and duck catching competitions on the river. Six brightly colored dragon boats sped along the Cua Chua River with great enthusiasm.

The most exciting part was the rice-cooking competition on boats, where teams simultaneously rowed, kept the fire burning, and splashed water to block their opponents. The festival concluded with an equally lively duck-catching event. Athletes jumped into the cold water, surrounding and catching ducks amidst joyful laughter.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Thanh Ha commune, said that this year's competitions have many new features after the merger. In the women's category, there are 6 participating teams, an increase of 2 teams compared to last year (4 teams from Thanh Xa commune and 2 teams from the former Thanh Thuy commune). Among them, 30 athletes are participating for the first time.

Last year, both the men's and women's events had four teams, so they were divided into two boat races, with the top three teams advancing to the next round. This year, with the increased number of teams, a draw was held to divide them into three pairs for the boat race, selecting the three top-performing teams to participate in the rice-cooking and duck-catching competition. "Although the format and rules have changed compared to before, the competition still retains the essence of the traditional village festival, creating a unique cultural feature of a region with a long-standing tradition," added Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy.

As a long-time participant, Ms. Quach Thi Nguyen (54 years old, residing in Hao 4 village, Thanh Ha commune) said that the competition expresses the dream of a prosperous and comfortable life, with bountiful harvests, reflecting the production and living habits of people in the Northern Delta region. Every year, this is the most anticipated part of the Bach Hao Pagoda festival for both locals and tourists.

Traditional wrestling competition in Nam Trieu ward. PHOTO: PHAN TUAN

In the festive atmosphere of the New Year, the 2026 Nam Trieu Ward Spring Festival attracted a large crowd of locals and tourists who watched and cheered on the wrestling competitions. This year's wrestling festival was organized on a larger scale. Approximately 50 wrestlers participated, including both amateur and professional wrestlers. According to Mr. Nguyen Duc Dung, Vice Chairman of the Nam Trieu Ward People's Committee, this year, the number of wrestlers was about 20 more than last year (due to mergers). The structure and prize value were also larger than last year. In addition, the wrestling arena was positioned in the middle of the grandstand, helping to attract more spectators to the festival.

To the incessant beat of the festival drums, the wrestlers entered the ring with their muscular bodies and strong biceps. They wrestled with dangerous moves: sometimes using tricky grappling techniques, other times powerful one-handed lifts. Spectators cheered loudly whenever a wrestler landed a blow to take down their opponent, creating a fiery atmosphere, imbued with the chivalrous spirit of the coastal countryside.

The wrestling tournament in Nam Trieu ward (formerly Lap Le commune) has become an indispensable cultural event for local people every spring. This activity demonstrates the spirit of chivalry, affirms endurance, youthfulness, and strengthens the health and willpower of the people in conquering the sea.

Mr. Nguyen Duc Dung, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Nam Trieu Ward, said: "After finishing a fishing season, the fishermen return to participate in the local wrestling competition. Therefore, this festival has a very distinctive traditional character of the people in the coastal region."

Promoting traditional values

Duck catching competition at Bach Hao Pagoda festival. PHOTO: THANH CHUNG

According to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Hai Phong has nearly 4,000 historical sites and 1,289 festivals. The festivals in Hai Phong are very diverse, encompassing many genres and suitable for various age groups. Some typical folk games include: traditional wrestling in Vinh Khe village (An Hai ward), the Co Trai wrestling competition at the Mac family ancestral temple (Kien Hung commune); human chess at Suot temple (Le Thanh Nghi ward); rice cake pounding at Cao temple (Le Dai Hanh ward), and firecrackers at Con Son pagoda (Tran Hung Dao ward)...

In addition, there are many other games such as chess, boat racing, cockfighting, swinging, walking on a bamboo bridge, etc., scattered among the historical sites in the city.

Each game has its own unique characteristics, creating an atmosphere of excitement, liveliness, and community bonding. Some games have been preserved through generations and have now undergone many variations to better suit modern social life.

Fun and healthy games and sports activities attract a large number of people and tourists, and also play an important role in preserving, promoting, and showcasing the beautiful traditional culture of the nation.

In this era of booming information technology, many modern forms of entertainment have emerged, but folk games and traditional sports still retain their unique appeal, representing a beautiful cultural aspect in traditional festivals, contributing to improving physical fitness and educating the younger generation about preserving national identity and cultural traditions.

To ensure that folk festivals and games continue to thrive in contemporary life, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism actively guides, encourages, and coordinates with departments, agencies, and the People's Committees of communes, wards, and special zones in the city to support localities in preserving and developing them. In addition, it coordinates the management and organization of appropriate cultural, artistic, and sports activities, linked to building an advanced Vietnamese culture rich in national identity, meeting the requirements of sustainable national development.

Over the past period, Hai Phong city has consistently and effectively focused on preserving and developing folk games and traditional sports through maintaining and organizing traditional festivals and incorporating them into sports competitions. The city has also built and improved its system of cultural and sports facilities, creating places for people to socialize and have fun.

THU HUONG

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/net-dep-tro-choi-dan-gian-tai-cac-hoi-lang-536519.html