Festival in President Ho Chi Minh's hometown
On a May morning, the front yard of the Kim Lien commune cultural center buzzed with laughter and conversation. Under the early summer sun, hundreds of women in flowing ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dresses) enthusiastically practiced for the "Lotus Ao Dai" mass performance, which will take place as part of this year's festival. This is the first time this event has been organized, but it has quickly become a special attraction for the local people.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Tam, President of the Women's Union of Kim Lien commune, said that the union mobilized more than 150 members from 44 branches, along with teachers from high schools in the area, to participate in the parade. Many were excited not only about participating in a major local festival but also about the unique artistic concept of the performance.
The three chosen colors for the ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress) are blue, lotus pink, and yellow, symbolizing the blooming lotus flowers in Kim Lien, the homeland. From the design and patterns to the way the outfits are arranged, everything is carefully calculated to create a soft and gentle picture, like a lotus pond in May.
According to Ms. Tam, immediately after receiving the program script, the Women's Union of the commune planned the selection of costumes, formed the team, and found suitable faces from the branches. Although each branch did not have a large number of participants, the enthusiasm was very high. For the people here, participating in an activity of the Lotus Village Festival is a source of pride for the whole family, clan, and village. "For the past few days, every time we practiced, people came to watch in large numbers. Some cheered, others voted to see who was the most beautiful and who danced the most gracefully. The atmosphere was very joyful, buzzing throughout the countryside," Ms. Tam shared.
Besides the "Lotus Ao Dai" (traditional Vietnamese dress) event, one of the most anticipated activities by locals and tourists is the "Rural Market" held right in Kim Lien. This is considered a new highlight, rich in folk culture, in this year's festival. The market brings together 43 stalls from many provinces and cities across the country. Products from Ninh Binh, Hanoi , Quang Binh, Quang Ngai, and many other rural areas will converge on President Ho Chi Minh's hometown during the lotus blooming season. These could be simple traditional cakes, fragrant sesame candies, or bottles of fish sauce distilled over many months for an unforgettable rich flavor. Each stall carries the unique flavors of its region, but all share a common sentiment of devotion to the homeland of President Ho Chi Minh.
The people of Kim Lien have been preparing for this special market for months. Carefully selected May rice grains are used to make fragrant rice cakes. Packages of pure white tapioca flour are repeatedly dried to enhance their aroma. Jars of rich, golden soy sauce are carefully fermented to preserve their traditional flavor. Lotus leaves and stamens are meticulously dried to produce the finest and most exquisite teas.
Lotus-based products are expected to be a major attraction for tourists. Over 100 processed lotus products will be available at the local market, ranging from lotus tea, dried lotus seeds, and lotus essential oil to handicrafts. The lotus is not only the symbolic flower of President Ho Chi Minh's hometown but also the soul of the May festival in Kim Lien.
While women and farmers are busy preparing for community cultural activities, the youth of Kim Lien are diligently practicing for the parade of President Ho Chi Minh's portraits – a ritual that has become a sacred tradition of the Lang Sen Festival for many years. Over 150 selected students from Kim Lien High School will participate in carrying President Ho Chi Minh's portraits from the Memorial House to the Lang Sen stadium. Each student will hold a photograph of President Ho Chi Minh at different stages of his life. Le Thi Thanh Tam, Secretary of the Kim Lien Commune Youth Union, said that although the festival includes the parade of President Ho Chi Minh's portraits every year, the emotions of the young people remain unchanged. The students selected are all outstanding members of the Youth Union. "Holding a portrait of President Ho Chi Minh in their hands and walking among the large crowd is a great honor for each young person. It's not just a ritual, but also a source of pride for the youth of his hometown," Ms. Tam shared.
Following the success of the 2025 National Lotus Village Festival, the 2026 festival will be organized on a provincial scale, but will last from May 18th to 30th with many new and enriching activities. No longer simply commemorative rituals or familiar artistic performances, this year's festival is being shaped as a vibrant cultural space where people directly become the participants and together tell the story of President Ho Chi Minh's homeland with all their pride.
To make the festival an unforgettable experience.
The enthusiastic atmosphere of the people of Kim Lien these days also shows a new direction for the Lotus Village Festival. While previously most activities focused on commemorative rituals, the festival is now expanding towards cultural experiences, tourism , and community interaction. This year, in addition to the flower and incense offerings at the Ho Chi Minh Memorial House in the Kim Lien Historical Site and the Chung Son Temple, the opening ceremony will feature a 15-minute high-altitude fireworks display, adding a highlight to the May festival in President Ho Chi Minh's hometown.
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One of the most anticipated programs is the "Lighting Up Sen Village" night tour, which highlights the "Mo Te Show - Stories of Sen Village" live performance. Initially scheduled for the night of May 19th, the program was postponed due to unforeseen circumstances. This project is entirely funded through social contributions and is being urgently completed by the Kim Lien Historical Site Management Board in collaboration with the implementing unit. According to Ms. Quach Thi Cuong, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the "Mo Te Show" is the largest-scale folk song performance ever held, with hundreds of performers participating in each show. The program's uniqueness lies not only in its scale but also in the way it connects professional art with folk life. The director is from a Hanoi art troupe, but the majority of the performers are from Nam Dan district and key figures in folk art clubs throughout the province.
This means the team must create a blend of modern stage techniques with the rustic charm of the people of Nghe An province. From the language and rhythm of the folk songs to the performance space, everything must retain the essence of local life.
Ms. Quách Thị Cường stated that from the very beginning of the program's development, the organizing committee clearly defined the overarching goal as creating the most intimate experience for viewers. "The lighting must be just right to highlight the rooftops, rows of betel trees, and lotus ponds; the music must be gentle to evoke memories of folk songs and songs about President Ho Chi Minh; and the storytelling must be skillful yet simple so that visitors can better understand his childhood, his family, his hometown, and the traditions of camaraderie in Nghe An province," Ms. Cường shared.
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According to Ms. Quach Thi Cuong, the 2026 Lang Sen Festival signifies a crucial transition in the process of building the Lang Sen cultural brand. Following the national-level festival in 2025, this year's event may not be a large-scale "grand celebration," but it is a vital stage in shaping the sustainable development direction of the historical site. From a traditional pilgrimage destination, Kim Lien is being oriented towards becoming a unique cultural, historical, and spiritual experience space; a place where visitors not only come to offer incense and pay respects but also to experience the cultural life of Nghe An province in a more diverse way.
The most precious aspect of that journey is the unity of the people of President Ho Chi Minh's hometown as they participate in the festival and become the main participants. Therefore, the Lotus Village Festival is not only a series of annual cultural activities but also a gathering place for the people's affection for the beloved President Ho Chi Minh. Amidst the scent of lotus flowers in May, along country roads shaded by bamboo trees and the melodious sounds of folk songs, the love and respect for President Ho Chi Minh are still preserved by the people of Kim Lien through the simplest and most sincere acts.
Source: https://baonghean.vn/nguoi-dan-que-bac-hao-huc-don-cho-le-hoi-lang-sen-10337035.html
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