'Sea Tet' Can Gio Whale Festival 2025: Safe - Friendly - Different.

The Can Gio Whale Festival 2025 contributes to calling on the community to join hands in preserving heritage, developing green tourism, improving people's livelihoods, and contributing to building Can Gio into a 'Safe - Friendly - Different' destination.

On the evening of October 5, the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City coordinated with the People's Committee of Can Gio commune to open the Can Gio Whale Festival and the 2025 Fishermen's Day celebration at Can Thanh Park (Can Gio commune, Ho Chi Minh City).

The Whale Festival in Can Gio originates from the worship of Whale, the savior god that has been passed down through many generations, becoming a unique cultural feature of the Can Gio sea area.

This is an occasion for fishermen to summarize the fishing season and pray for a favorable and bountiful new season. At the same time, they express their gratitude to the God of the South Sea and to their ancestors who reclaimed land and established settlements, and to the heroic martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the Fatherland.

Can Gio Commune People's Committee awarded certificates of merit to collectives and individuals with outstanding achievements in aquaculture, fishing and the restoration, preservation and renovation of Ong Thuy Tuong's Tomb.

PHOTO: THUY LIEU

Since its inception in 1913, the festival has been around for 112 years, and this year also marks the 12th anniversary of its recognition as a national intangible cultural heritage. The festival has gradually become a "sea festival", a cultural symbol of the people of the coastal region of Can Gio.

This year, the festival takes place from October 5 to 7 (14 to 16 of the lunar calendar) with many practical activities, content imbued with the beauty of traditional folklore and attractive and novel cultural, artistic, sports , commercial and tourism activities, hoping to attract tens of thousands of people and tourists to attend.

Within the framework of the festival, important rituals are still maintained, including: a visit to the Rung Sac Martyrs Cemetery; a visit to the Rung Sac Heroes and Martyrs Temple; a flag-raising ceremony at Can Thanh Park; an opening program and a ceremony to celebrate fishermen's achievements; a ceremony to worship ancestors, descendants, and old fishing friends at Ong Thuy Tuong's Mausoleum.

Art performances to open the Can Gio Whale Festival 2025

PHOTO: NGUYEN SU

The festival also has many activities such as Mid-Autumn Festival for children, cultural and artistic performances, sports competitions, art and exhibition routes; Vietnamese goods market, food court, folk games... imbued with traditional coastal industries to serve the spiritual and cultural needs and healthy entertainment needs of local people and tourists.

Mr. Vo Huu Thang, Chairman of Can Gio Commune People's Committee, said that Can Gio Commune was established on the basis of merging Can Thanh Town and Long Hoa Commune of the old Can Gio District. With an area of ​​over 15,700 hectares, a population of over 27,000 people, and about 57 km from the city center, Can Gio is the gateway to the East Sea, holding an important strategic position in terms of marine economy , environment, and national defense and security.

The performance of singing and rowing boats in the Nam Hai River affirms that no matter how life changes, the souls and beliefs of the coastal people remain steadfast like a sturdy oar in the waves.

PHOTO: NGUYEN SU

Based on the development orientation of Ho Chi Minh City, Can Gio commune is identified as a center of green and sustainable development associated with large strategic projects such as the 2,870-hectare Can Gio coastal tourism urban area. In that general economic picture, aquaculture is still an important industry of the commune. In the first 9 months of 2025, the total value of aquaculture products of the commune achieved high results.

Currently, Can Gio commune has 203 fishing vessels going out to sea. Despite the limited capacity and the fishing grounds being mainly inshore, fishermen are always resilient, creative in innovating fishing gear, upgrading machinery, and applying seafood exploitation technology. Fishermen both exploit effectively and strictly comply with legal regulations on combating illegal fishing (IUU).

Music scene of Thanksgiving to General Nam Hai and the decree of the god

PHOTO: NGUYEN SU

"Can Gio commune currently has 10 products certified as 3-star OCOP products, contributing to affirming the brand and enhancing the value of local products. The Nghinh Ong Festival in 2025 takes place in the context of Can Gio commune being on the path of innovation and strong development. This event not only has spiritual significance, praying for favorable weather and bountiful crops, but is also an opportunity to promote the image of Can Gio to friends and tourists near and far," said Mr. Thang.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Nghinh Ong Can Gio 2025 festival, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Dung assessed that the festival is not only a festival for fishermen, but also an opportunity for Ho Chi Minh City to introduce to friends near and far a unique land: mangrove forests - the "green lungs" of the city; architecture - beliefs of Lang Ong Thuy Tuong, sincere and affectionate Can Gio people.

Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Dung delivered the opening speech of the Can Gio Whale Festival 2025

PHOTO: NGUYEN SU

"Through the festival, we call on the community to join hands in preserving heritage, developing green tourism, creating unique products and services, improving people's livelihoods, and contributing to building Can Gio into a Safe - Friendly - Different destination. With the diligence and overcoming difficulties in production of the people of Can Gio commune, I would like to congratulate the fishermen of Can Gio for having a bumper farming and fishing season," Mr. Dung emphasized.

At the opening ceremony, the People's Committee of Can Gio commune awarded certificates of merit to 21 individuals and groups with outstanding achievements in aquaculture, fishing and the restoration, preservation and renovation of Ong Thuy Tuong's Tomb.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tet-bien-le-hoi-nghinh-ong-can-gio-2025-an-toan-than-thien-khac-biet-185251005194405359.htm