Exciting Ok Om Bok Festival in An Giang

Ngo boat race at the 17th Khmer Culture, Sports and Tourism Festival of An Giang province in 2025.

The Khmer Culture, Sports and Tourism Festival in An Giang province takes place on the occasion of Ok Om Bok Festival. This is the time to end the harvest season to show gratitude to the Moon - the god of nature who has helped people protect crops, regulate the weather, bring good fruits and prosperity to the village.

This year's festival takes place over 3 days, from November 4-6 (15-17 of the 9th lunar month). This is the 17th time An Giang province (formerly Kien Giang ) has organized the festival with the careful coordination and preparation of relevant departments, branches and localities.

People attend the Cultural, Sports and Tourism Festival of Khmer people in An Giang province, at Go Quao commune.

The opening ceremony of the Festival will be held at 7:30 a.m. on November 5, 2019 (September 16th of the lunar calendar) combined with an art performance and Ngo boat racing; in the evening, there will be a Moon Worship Ceremony at the grandstand on the bank of Cai Lon River, Go Quao Commune.

The most exciting, attractive, interesting and attracting the most spectators and tourists is still the traditional Ngo boat racing tournament. The tournament takes place from November 5-6, on Cai Lon river with 3 events: 800m men (21 teams), 1,200m men (22 teams) and 800m men and women (12 teams). The "stormy" competitions annually attract hundreds of people from inside and outside the province to participate and cheer.

People visit the Trade Fair at the Khmer Culture, Sports and Tourism Festival in An Giang province.

The Festival is a series of diverse and rich cultural and sports activities such as: Trade fair to introduce and promote consumer products, some typical and unique products of Go Quao; display of books, paintings, photos, artifacts related to the daily life of Khmer people; competition to make beautiful water-land frames, art performances and sports competitions...

Lion and dragon dance performances serve the Cultural, Sports and Tourism Festival of Khmer people in An Giang province.

The activities of the Festival contribute to creating cultural beauty in the community, maintaining and promoting national cultural identity; honoring and promoting the cultural values of the Khmer people to people across the country.

This is also an opportunity for ethnic people to meet, exchange, unite and bond with each other inside and outside the province; at the same time contributing to economic development, caring for material and spiritual life, promoting tourism and strengthening national solidarity...

Traditional musical instrument performance at the Khmer Traditional Arts Festival in An Giang province in 2025.

Since 2007, the Ok Om Bok Festival has been upgraded to a provincial-level Khmer Cultural, Sports and Tourism Festival. Every year, the Festival attracts hundreds of thousands of participants, becoming a common cultural activity of the community, contributing to strengthening the great national unity bloc, preserving and promoting the traditional cultural beauty of the Khmer people.

Art performance of Kinh, Hoa and Khmer people at the Khmer Culture, Sports and Tourism Festival of An Giang province.

According to Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of An Giang province Le Trung Ho, the festival is a meaningful and practical activity to preserve, honor and promote traditional cultural identity, and care for the spiritual life of Khmer people in the province.

The activities of the Festival honor, promote and introduce the cultural values of the Khmer people and other ethnic groups in the province to people across the country; create conditions for people of all ethnic groups to meet, exchange and participate in cultural, artistic and sports activities; strengthen the strength of the great national unity bloc, contributing to local socio-economic development.

Mr. Danh Thom, resident of Go Quao commune, said that besides Chol Chnam Thmay, the Khmer Cultural, Sports and Tourism Festival in An Giang province is an important event, most awaited by the Khmer people in the locality. The festival was held on the occasion of Ok Om Bok Festival, so the people were very happy, the bustling atmosphere of the festival made everyone excited.

"The festival is an opportunity for Khmer people in Go Quao commune in particular and An Giang province in general to promote cultural values and preserve the cultural beauty of their people," said Mr. Danh Thom.