Top 12 Most Unique Festivals in Soc Trang

During the Lantern Festival (15th of the first lunar month), the Lantern Fighting Festival takes place at Ong Bon Pagoda in Soc Trang. While lanterns here may seem ordinary, they hold spiritual significance for businesses, symbolizing prosperity and success. Each lantern can fetch tens or hundreds of millions of Vietnamese dong, adorned with auspicious phrases such as 'Harmony and Peace,' 'Prosperity and Fortune,' 'Wealth and Abundance,' and 'Success and Happiness.' For the Chinese business community, these blessings hold significant value for their upcoming year.

Essentially, the temple administration organizes the Lantern Fighting Festival to create a lively atmosphere to welcome the new year, fostering joy among attendees. Participants contribute funds to the temple for social welfare projects.

When attending the festival, don't miss the opportunity to admire the architecture of Ong Bon Pagoda. As an architectural masterpiece with distinct Chinese characteristics, the pagoda is entirely built with precious stones and wood, intricately carved with exquisite craftsmanship. The ornate carvings on the roof, columns, doors, and lintels retain the skilled workmanship of ancient artisans, truly worth admiring. Ong Bon Pagoda is located at 09 Nguyen Van Troi Street, Ward 1, Soc Trang City.

Being one of the three major and most important festivals of the Khmer people in the South. Chol-Chnam-Thmay Tet is a celebration of the new year and also a time to remember the ancestors and the Buddha who has protected them throughout the past year. Chol-Chnam-Thmay Tet usually takes place around the middle of April in the Gregorian calendar, which is the beginning of the Khmer month of Chet. Chol Chnam Thmay Tet does not have a fixed date for each year but changes annually as determined by astrologers.

The first day is Chol Sangkran Thmay - New Year's Day, where people bathe, wear beautiful clothes, and bring offerings such as candles, lanterns, and fruits to the pagoda to participate in the ritual of welcoming the new calendar and honoring the Buddha. The ceremony signifies the welcoming of the new year and fortune-telling to predict whether the upcoming year will be good or bad. The second day is Wonboat, where people offer food and create mountain heaps. Each family will prepare food offerings for the monks at the pagoda in the morning and noon. In the afternoon, they organize the ceremony of creating mountain heaps to seek blessings, depending on the economic situation of each locality, they will choose to heap sand, rice, or soil. This custom expresses the wish for rain and blessings from the heavens. The third day is Loung Sak, where people bathe the Buddha statue and the monks. The ceremony is to express gratitude to the Buddha and to wash away the misfortunes of the past year to start the new year fresh.

After performing the rituals, the remaining time during these days is spent visiting and greeting each other, wishing each other good things and enjoying together. Although according to the calendar, the festival lasts for three days, the festive time for the people can sometimes extend for a week or more, after which they return to their normal lives.

The Festival of Honoring Phuoc Bien, also known as Chrôium check, is a traditional festival of the Khmer people, mainly those living in the coastal areas of Vinh Chau township. The festival symbolizes gratitude to the sea for providing abundant seafood and prays for the safety and success of fishermen.

Held on the 14th and 15th day of the 2nd lunar month every year, the festival lasts for two days and two nights. Firstly, a procession of Buddha statues from Ca Sang Pagoda to the ceremony site takes place. Then, Buddhist rituals for blessings and prayers for peace and prosperity are conducted. On the second night, there is an additional ceremony to offer homage to the Buddha.

Alongside the traditional rituals, the festival also features various entertaining activities such as traditional boat racing on land, pushing marbles, onion peeling contests, ensemble music performances, traditional chicken and monkey dances, singing competitions, and sports events including football, volleyball, tug of war, kite flying, and more.

Held annually on the 21st day of the 3rd lunar month in Kinh Ba coastal area, Tran De district, Soc Trang province. According to tradition, the Whale is a deity that helps fishermen overcome accidents at sea. When people are in distress at sea, they pray earnestly, and the Whale will come to rescue them and take them to safety. Therefore, when a Whale washes ashore, fishermen carefully bury it and organize a ritual. After three years, the bones (precious remains) are brought into the temple for worship. Currently, the Kinh Ba Shrine preserves the remains of two large and small Whales. The festival expresses the aspirations and deep reverence of seafarers for the Whale, praying for their safety and abundant catch.

After performing traditional rituals, a procession and lion dance take place before boarding boats to the sea to worship the Whale. On the boat, rituals of worship and request for luck are performed. When luck is successfully requested, it signifies the Whale's acknowledgment of the fishermen's sincerity. At that time, the boats will return to shore to perform rituals escorting the Whale back to the Shrine.

Visitors to the Nghinh Ong Festival can immerse themselves in the unique yet simple and rustic local culture. Additionally, they can visit nearby attractions such as Tran De Fishing Port, Mo O Beach, Mangrove Forest, My Thanh 2 Bridge, Be Lake, and more.

Also known as the Coconut Worship Festival because the offering in the ceremony consists of coconut cups made from fresh coconuts. The festival takes place in An Trach hamlet, An Hiep commune, Chau Thanh district, Soc Trang province on the 15th day of the 3rd lunar month every year.

This festival holds deep humanitarian significance and reflects the unique aspect of Khmer culture in Soc Trang. The offerings in the ceremony are local fruits and flowers, symbolizing purity such as betel leaves, lotus flowers, and coconuts. The fruits and flowers are arranged on a coconut, which Khmer people call Slathodon (coconut cup). The floral arrangement is made of betel leaves and flowers.

The Thac Con Festival has existed for nearly a hundred years, associated with the legend of the Golden Gongs of An Trach. The festival serves to remind people of their roots, ancestors, grandparents to live harmoniously and lovingly, praying for favorable weather, good harvests, and a happy and prosperous life.

Also known as Kathina Ceremony or Robe Offering Ceremony, it is held from the 15th day of the 9th lunar month to the 15th day of the 10th lunar month. This ceremony deeply embodies the traditional cultural values of the people of the Khmer in Southern Vietnam, praying for peace, family harmony, favorable weather, and respectfully offering robes to the monks, demonstrating reverence to the Buddha and following his teachings.

Typically, on the first day, people bring candles, money, fruits, flowers, and robes to the temple to pray and offer to the Buddha. Then, they offer the robes and other offerings to the monks at the temple and listen to the monks preach, reflecting on their merits and those of their families. In the evening, they organize festivities, cultural performances, traditional dances, and songs. On the second day, people gather again to conduct the flower offering ceremony, offering robes along the way or around the temple, then return to the temple to listen to the monks recite scriptures and affirm their heartfelt merits.

The festival is held on the 4th and 5th day of the 5th lunar month every year at My Phuoc islet, Kế Sách district. The festival aims to honor the special fruits of the Kế Sách region, which is the largest fruit-growing area in Sóc Trăng province, and to honor the farmers who have worked hard to produce these fruits.

At the festival, people display famous specialty fruits associated with local landmarks such as Ba Trinh orange, An My turmeric jackfruit, Kế An green-peel pomelo, Kế Thành five-branch pomelo, Phong Nam rambutan, An Lac Tay mangosteen... Besides, the festival also includes various activities to welcome scientists, businessmen, and tourists for exchange, learning, seeking cooperation opportunities, business, or simply for entertainment moments, such as: The Sweet Garden Water Culinary Contest, dragon boat racing, traditional music performances, exhibitions of economic, cultural, and social achievements, and folk games: Blindfolded pot breaking, bamboo pole walking...

Visitors to the festival have the opportunity to enjoy many specialties, admire the fruitful orchards, enjoy the fresh air of this ecological tourism destination, and meet the sincere local people, who earnestly recount the early days of exploring the islet land.

Organized annually on the 14th - 15th of October in the lunar calendar. Ngo Boat Racing (Prònăng tuuk ngôo) is one of the most important traditional activities of the Khmer people. Associated with the Ooc-om-boc Festival, the Ngo Boat Racing Festival carries similar significance. Additionally, it is a time for the Khmer community to enjoy themselves after days of hard work.

The Ngo Boat symbolizes the divine snake Nagar, which according to legend carried Lord Buddha across the river. The Ngo boat is typically 20-30 meters long, with the boat's head shaped like a snake's head, and colorful patterns painted on both sides of the boat.

Prior to the festival, temples must prepare well in advance to select strong swimmers from various villages. A boat team usually consists of tens to hundreds of people, so individuals from all villages must come together to form a team. To row the boat swiftly to victory, the entire team must coordinate seamlessly and harmoniously. Thus, Ngo Boat Racing demands very high levels of teamwork. This is considered a highly respected aspect of this sport.

Ngo Boat Racing is not just a custom but also demonstrates a spirit of competition and a desire to win. Therefore, the atmosphere at the festival is extremely lively and vibrant. The Ngo Boat Racing Festival takes place on the Maspero River in Soc Trang with the participation of many teams from both within and outside the province. It is estimated that the festival attracts up to 30,000 spectators.

The Ooc-om-boc Festival, also known as the Moon Worship or the 'Dut Dried Rice' ceremony (Bon sâm peah preah khe), is organized by the Khmer people on the night of the Khe Ka-đâk Full Moon (15th of the 10th lunar month) to express gratitude to the Moon Deity for overseeing the crops throughout the year and to bid farewell as the Water Deity returns to the sea. According to tradition, the Ooc-om-boc Festival has existed for a long time, dating back to when humans began cultivating rice.

The offering consists of harvested agricultural products, with dried rice being an essential component (made from pounded young sticky rice, thinly spread, and mixed with sugar and coconut, although simple-sounding, the finished product goes through many intricate stages). The altar is set up in the evening. When the moon rises, a Buddhist monk (who has studied for many years in the temple, knowledgeable in Buddhist teachings) is invited by the families or an elder in the family will perform the moon worship ceremony. After prayers, the children in the family are called upon to pour the dried rice and make a wish. The child's answer represents the wishes of everyone sent to the moon, reflecting the adults' hopes for the coming year. After the ceremony, everyone gathers to eat cakes, dried rice, and engage in cheerful conversation, eagerly anticipating the early morning to watch the Ngo Boat Racing on the Maspero River.

Additionally, during the festival, cultural activities such as releasing lanterns and water lanterns are carried out, and notably, this festival is always associated with the Ngo Boat Racing.

Every year, on the 15th day of the 9th lunar month according to the Khmer calendar, coinciding with the day the monks perform the Outpouring Ceremony (chinh Presvôsa), Khmer people in the villages of Long Phu district enthusiastically organize the Protip Lantern Festival, a traditional event. The festival signifies gratitude to the Earth Deity and the Water Deity for bringing peace and happiness throughout the past year and seeks blessings for a prosperous future.

People assemble banana stems into rafts to float on the river, which are called Protip lanterns. On the night of the lantern parade, villagers parade their Protip around the village to allow people to admire and seek blessings. To enhance the festive atmosphere during the Protip Lantern Parade, Sa Yăm drums and traditional music are also performed.

After parading around the village, the Protip lanterns are released onto the river branches, sparkling under the moonlight, creating a mystical and enchanting sight. The light of the Protip lanterns serves as a bridge between happiness and faith, the source of life, and happiness in the mortal realm.

Also known as the Protip Lantern Festival, this event takes place during the Ooc-om-boc Festival (15th of the 10th lunar month every year). Protip Lantern Festival aims to honor the tooth relic of Buddha Shakyamuni, which was safeguarded by the serpent deity Naga in the netherworld. The Protip lantern symbolizes the lower jaw of the Buddha remaining in the lower realm to benefit sentient beings. The festival also serves as an expression of gratitude to the Earth Deity (Prés thôrni) and Water Deity (Prés kôong kea) for their support throughout the year, as humans have inevitably caused harm to nature and thus offer rituals to atone. Additionally, it commemorates the benevolence of natural forces that have facilitated human livelihoods, wishing for greater blessings in the coming year.

During the festival night, thousands of locals and tourists flock to the Maspero River in Soc Trang City to admire the beauty of the water lanterns. These lanterns, made from banana stems and leaves, are crafted into temple-like structures adorned with flags, flowers, candles, and incense, with offerings placed inside. Before releasing the lanterns, monks and villagers light candles around them and listen to the chanting of sutras for the Triple Gem, offering prayers for happiness, prosperity, and the wishes of all households. Subsequently, the lanterns are escorted to the riverbank for release.

Throughout the festival day, alongside the Water Lantern Festival, there are various traditional cultural activities of the Khmer people, such as Sadam drum dancing, Dù kê singing, Lâm thol dance, performances by traditional music bands, and ethnic costume contests.

When talking about Soc Trang, one cannot overlook the Don Ta festival celebrated by the Khmer people. From the 29th of the 8th to the 1st of the 9th lunar month annually, Khmer communities in Southern Vietnam and specifically in Soc Trang enthusiastically organize the Don Ta festival, also known as the Ancestors' Worship Ceremony, to commemorate the merits of deceased relatives. Besides offering food to the temple and inviting monks to chant scriptures, villagers prepare lavish feasts to honor their ancestors according to traditional customs.

On the first day (reception day), people clean the altars of the Buddha and ancestors, decorate them with fragrant flowers, and arrange offerings of fruits, cakes, incense, and candles. Some families even invite monks to conduct rituals at home, starting with recitations, offering food, and concluding with prayers for the deceased ancestors' spirits.

On the second day, families collectively prepare food and bring it to the temple to offer to the monks. They light incense on the altar and invite their ancestors to the temple, where they share a meal, believing that offering food to the monks contributes to the reverence for the Buddha and assists in cleansing the souls of ancestors.

The third day is the final day when families bring food to the temple and also organize offerings at home. After visiting the temple, they invite neighbors and relatives to join in the worship. This ritual, known as 'Sene Chun Đôlta' (sending off ancestors), involves offering prayers three times before serving food. However, this time, the food is placed in banana leaf boats, decorated with flags and human effigies made of banana stems, with additional offerings of rice, salt, money, and carvings of crocodiles and tortoises at the bow and stern of the boat, all made from banana stems to prevent accidents along the way. Afterward, they release these boats onto nearby rivers or canals, inviting friends, family, and neighbors to enjoy a communal meal.

This festival not only demonstrates the filial piety of descendants towards the deceased but also shows the care for the monks' spiritual practice during the harvest season.