Vietnam currently has nearly 9,000 festivals, distributed across all regions and taking place throughout the year. Festivals are a unique traditional cultural feature, and have long become a familiar cultural activity for a large number of people. Spring, after the Lunar New Year, is the peak season for festivals, including famous festivals that last for months, such as the Huong Pagoda Festival.
Festivals are a beautiful tradition of the 54 ethnic groups of Vietnam, with a history spanning thousands of years. They express the people's gratitude for the nation's traditions and history, and acknowledge the contributions of previous generations in nation-building, national defense, and protecting independence. Besides their educational value in terms of ideology, morality, patriotism, national pride, and community solidarity, festivals also reflect the beautiful traditional culture and humanistic values of each ethnic group, religion, and region.
The country currently has 8,868 festivals, including 8,103 traditional festivals, 687 cultural festivals, 74 professional festivals, and 4 festivals originating from foreign countries. These festivals are held throughout the year, but the most frequent are at the beginning of the new year. As a rice-farming nation, Vietnam's traditional festivals mainly take place in the spring when farmers are idle and people have spiritual needs, praying for a prosperous new year. Most festivals are held within villages and communes, but there are also regional festivals such as the Lim Festival (Bac Ninh), the Giong Festival ( Hanoi ), the Tran Temple Festival (Nam Dinh), the Oc Om Boc Festival (Soc Trang), the Ba Chua Xu Festival (An Giang)... and national festivals such as the Hung Temple Festival (Phu Tho). Some festivals last for a few days, while others last for months, such as the Huong Pagoda Festival (Hanoi) and the Yen Tu Festival (Quang Ninh)...
Following the ceremony is the festive part. This is an opportunity for people to enjoy material and spiritual values, and to socialize to strengthen community bonds. Therefore, festivals are a special and indispensable activity in every community. Festivals are also an opportunity to recall the tradition of building and defending the nation throughout our history. Each village community has its own traditions, and festivals are occasions to recall and reenact them... All these festivals, with their unique cultural nuances, contribute to the rich cultural identity of the nation.
Festivals have long been a familiar cultural activity for a large number of people. Each festival, especially traditional festivals, contains fundamental cultural and historical values, clearly reflecting the cultural identity of the Vietnamese people. Therefore, for many years, the preservation, protection, honoring, and development of cultural values, including festival activities, have always been a priority for the Party and the State, which have enacted appropriate policies.
The Le Thai To Temple Festival in the spring of the Year of the Dragon 2024 will open on February 20, 2024 (the 11th day of the first lunar month) in Le Loi commune, Nam Nhun district, Lai Chau province, to commemorate the contributions of the national hero - King Le Thai To.
State management of festivals is carried out through a system of documents, including: Resolutions, directives, documents of the Party and Government, decrees, and circulars guiding the management, organization, and implementation of civilized practices in festivals. Over the past period, the Party and Government have issued a system of documents on leadership, direction, management, organization of festivals, and the implementation of civilized practices in festivals. The management and organization of festivals are regulated by Government Decree No. 110/2018/ND-CP dated August 29, 2018, on the management and organization of festivals. Regarding the implementation of civilized practices in festivals, there are specific guiding documents such as: Directive No. 27-CT/TW dated January 12, 1998, of the Politburo (8th term) on the implementation of civilized practices in weddings, funerals, and festivals; Directive No. 21-CT/TW dated December 21, 2012, of the Central Party Secretariat on promoting thrift and combating waste; Directive No. 41-CT/TW dated February 5, 2015, of the Central Party Secretariat on strengthening the Party's leadership over the management and organization of festivals; Directive No. 06/CT-TTg dated February 20, 2017, of the Prime Minister on rectifying the management and organization of festivals… Most recently, in August 2023, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued the "Set of Criteria on Cultural Environment in Traditional Festivals" (specifically detailing criteria for building a cultural environment at historical sites and festivals), which is considered an important step to improve the effectiveness of festival organization in a civilized, healthy, and economical manner. The set of criteria also serves as a tool and benchmark for evaluating the management capacity and effectiveness of local festival activities. With 9 general criteria and 44 specific criteria, the set of criteria provides a basis and direction for local organizing committees to standardize criteria and uniformly apply solutions to build a cultural environment within traditional festivals. Through this, localities can build a civilized and healthy festival cultural environment; preserve and promote the values of traditional culture, customs, and practices, and spread them throughout society; and gradually eliminate outdated customs and practices.
The drum dance (also known as the "prostitute drum dance") is the most distinctive and indispensable highlight of the Trieu Khuc Village Festival (Tan Trieu commune, Thanh Tri district, Hanoi) - a traditional festival commemorating the national hero Bo Cai Dai Vuong Phung Hung.
To expedite the implementation of key tasks following the Lunar New Year holiday of the Year of the Dragon, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh issued Directive No. 06/CT-TTg on February 15, 2024, which requires the organization of cultural, artistic, and festival activities to ensure safety and civility. The Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to take the lead and coordinate with relevant agencies and localities to actively and proactively direct the organization of cultural and artistic activities and traditional folk festivals immediately after Tet, ensuring safety, civility, and promoting national cultural identity; promptly rectify and strictly handle violations according to Official Dispatch No. 10/CĐ-TTg dated January 29, 2024, especially violations regarding the collection and management of donations and the burning of votive paper (if any). Localities are to strengthen destination management and guide tourism service businesses to implement measures to ensure the safety of tourists and residents. Accommodation and food establishments are promoting and encouraging tourists to strictly adhere to the rule of "if you have drunk alcohol, do not drive"...
According to Ms. Ninh Thi Thu Huong, Director of the Department of Grassroots Culture (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism ), festival management this year has been more innovative. Provinces and cities have proactively developed focused and targeted plans, anticipating local festival activities. Many places have issued comprehensive and overall plans for festival activities; directly instructing local authorities to develop feasible scenarios, plans, and strategies to ensure safe and healthy festival activities. In fact, in many localities, the Spring Festivals of the Year of the Dragon 2024 were organized vibrantly and joyfully with many new features.
The Thi Cam Rice Cooking Competition is held in Xuan Phuong ward, Nam Tu Liem district (Hanoi).
Hanoi is the locality with the most major festivals in the country, with approximately 1,500 festivals scheduled for 2024. Before the festival season begins, districts, towns, and cities have made thorough preparations, incorporating new and creative activities while still ensuring the integrity of the festivals. According to Ms. Tran Thi Van Anh, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports, the Department has requested localities to make meticulous preparations for the 2024 festival season. The ceremonial part must adhere to local traditions; be organized solemnly and professionally, reflecting the unique values of the locality. The festive part should clearly showcase the cultural identity of the locality, aiming to create distinctive cultural products. Localities should effectively implement the "Criteria for the Cultural Environment in Traditional Festivals" issued by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; pay attention to environmental hygiene; security and order; fire prevention; and strengthen inspection and maintenance of the festival's beauty...
The Huong Pagoda Festival (Huong Son commune, My Duc district, Hanoi) annually attracts millions of visitors for spring excursions and pilgrimages. This year, to eliminate the problem of touting and extortion of money from tourists for boat rides, the Huong Pagoda Tourism Service Cooperative was established for the first time, with the participation of over 4,000 boats and ferries transporting visitors to the festival. The cooperative manages the transportation of visitors by boat and ferry according to a set schedule through a digital system. This year, the Huong Pagoda Festival Organizing Committee continues to sell electronic tickets, facilitating convenience for tourists and authorities, and preventing counterfeit and illegal tickets; it also organizes the sale of scenic tickets, boat and ferry tickets, and parking services at designated docks and parking areas. Electric vehicles are used to transport visitors from bus stations to the ferry terminals along a route with three pick-up and drop-off points in the Yen wharf area. All tourist attractions are equipped with QR codes, allowing people to easily look up information about the festival. Thanks to digital transformation, this year, issues such as ticket evasion, touting, and asking for extra money have virtually disappeared, allowing visitors to experience a safe, civilized, and friendly festival.
In the early days of spring, the people of Phu Thuong ward, Tay Ho district (Hanoi) joyfully immersed themselves in the atmosphere of the traditional Sticky Rice Festival. The joy was doubled when the Phu Thuong sticky rice craft was officially inscribed on the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. According to Bui Thi Lan Phuong, Vice Chairman of the Tay Ho District People's Committee, the ceremony announcing the Decision to inscribe the Phu Thuong sticky rice craft on the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage was an opportunity to honor the heritage; to acknowledge and commend the efforts of the Party committee, government, agencies, and community in preserving, conserving, and promoting the value of the traditional craft. This also promotes the responsibility of preserving and promoting the heritage to serve socio -economic development. As is customary, at the beginning of spring, Hai Phong city also organizes the Calligraphy Festival. This year, the festival was held at the Mac Dynasty Memorial Area (Ngu Doan commune, Kien Thuy district) to pay tribute to Duke Mac Thai To and the Mac Dynasty's ancestors who made great contributions to the development of education and the training of talents for the country, such as the scholar Nguyen Binh Khiem, Phung Khac Khoan, Nguyen Thi Due, etc. The festival contributes to preserving and promoting the historical and cultural traditions of the nation, promoting the tourism potential and strengths, attracting tourists to Kien Thuy, and boosting the socio-economic development of the locality. Participating in the festival, Vu Thi Ngoc Ha (Huu Bang Secondary School, Kien Thuy district) shared that she felt honored to represent her 7th grade classmates at this year's festival to learn more about history and gain more motivation to study better.
For many years, the Lồng Tồng Festival has been organized by An Nhơn commune, Đạ Tẻh district, Lâm Đồng province at the beginning of the year to preserve and promote the unique traditional culture of the ethnic groups, thereby affirming the spirit of unity and solidarity among the communities. Lồng Tồng, in the Tay and Nùng languages, means "going down to the fields," and it is the most anticipated harvest festival of the year for the Tay and Nùng ethnic groups in the northern mountainous region. On this occasion, the people wear their finest clothes and gather to celebrate in a large open space in the village. Lồng Tồng is a ceremony to report the achievements of the past year to the God of Agriculture, praying for favorable weather, peace and prosperity for the nation, a bountiful harvest, abundance for all families, and flourishing of all things… Mr. Luu Van Phuong, Chairman of the People's Committee of An Nhon commune, shared: “For the past 40 years, the people of all ethnic groups in the commune have united as one, working together to build a new homeland that is increasingly prosperous and beautiful. In the new homeland of Da Teh, the Tay, Nung, and other ethnic groups have continuously strived, overcoming all initial difficulties, and building a life that is increasingly prosperous and happy.”
The Lồng Tồng Festival aims to preserve the traditional culture of the Northwest region in Lam Dong province.
In the joyful atmosphere of early spring, the Doi Son Tich Dien Festival (Ha Nam province) is held, bringing a new spirit of labor, encouraging people to plant rice and take care of agriculture ; praying for a year of favorable weather and a bountiful harvest. This year, the festival has undergone many changes to enhance the festival space, making it more attractive and appealing to tourists. Along with the main rituals such as the Announcement Ceremony, the procession of palanquins, the water procession, purification rituals, and prayers for peace, activities such as drawing competitions, buffalo decoration, sports, arts and culture, wrestling, and folk games are also available. Locals and tourists can participate in many rich, diverse, and lively activities. In particular, for the first time, people and visitors from all over have the opportunity to experience a plowing competition organized by the local authorities. The Organizing Committee has minimized administrative procedures; arranged many stalls for people and tourists to visit and purchase agricultural products, characteristic products, and OCOP products of Ha Nam. The arrival of spring brings with it the festival season of Vietnam's ethnic communities, presenting both opportunities and challenges for festival management today. Festival management must ensure the preservation of original elements while creating unique highlights for each festival, meeting the needs of participants, and providing them with spiritual and cultural experiences in a joyful and safe environment – a desire of society.
Article: Phuong Anh - Minh Hue Photos and graphics: VNA Edited by: Ky Thu Layout: Nguyen Ha
Vietnam currently has nearly 9,000 festivals, distributed across all regions and taking place throughout the year. Festivals are a unique traditional cultural feature, and have long become a familiar cultural activity for a large number of people. Spring, after the Lunar New Year, is the peak season for festivals, including famous festivals that last for months, such as the Huong Pagoda Festival. 
Comment (0)