Buzz
Throughout the first month of the year, regions across the country come alive with vibrant festivals featuring exciting and captivating activities.
Wedding Catching Festival, Lam Dong
From the 1st day of Tet until the end of the 3rd lunar month, the wedding catching festival takes place among the Chu Ru, Cil, Cơ Ho... ethnic groups in Lam Dong specifically and the Central Highlands in general. The festival occurs at night. When a girl fancies a particular young man, she informs her family and clan. The groom's family will come to propose. If the groom's family agrees, the wedding catching ceremony will take place the day before the wedding. The girl will put a ring on the young man's finger. After the 7-day wedding ceremony, the girl removes the ring, hands it to her mother-in-law for safekeeping, and vice versa for the groom's ring held by the bride's mother.
Dong Da – Tay Son Festival, Binh Dinh
The Dong Da – Tay Son Festival is an occasion to commemorate the glorious achievements of the leaders of the Tay Son movement, especially the hero in simple clothes, Quang Trung – Nguyen Hue, and the victory at Ngoc Hoi – Dong Da. The festival takes place from the 4th to the 5th day of the lunar New Year, at the Quang Trung Museum, Phu Phong town, Tay Son, Binh Dinh.
In addition to the traditional ceremonies, the festival also hosts various folk cultural activities such as martial arts performances and the Tây Sơn drum beating, boat racing, folk games, tuồng singing... attracting a large number of tourists from both domestic and international destinations.
The Bà Đen Mountain Festival, Tây Ninh
The Bà Đen Mountain spring festival this year kicked off on the exact 4th day of Lunar New Year and lasts until the end of the first lunar month. This is a famous traditional festival in Tây Ninh and the provinces of the Southeast. Visitors can ascend the mountain to the Bà temple on foot or using the sliding rail and cable car system. Besides the New Year's pilgrimage, Bà Đen Mountain, with an elevation of 968 meters, is also an interesting challenge for many young people who are passionate about conquering heights.
The Perfume Pagoda Festival, Hanoi
The Perfume Pagoda Festival this year, themed “Tourism Festival - Perfume Pagoda, the traditional beauty of Vietnamese Culture”, will officially open on the 6th day of the first lunar month and last until the end of the third lunar month. Located in Hương Sơn commune, Mỹ Đức district, Hanoi, the Perfume Pagoda festival is one of the longest-lasting festivals in the country. Attending the festival, visitors not only participate in the journey to the Buddha's realm but also immerse themselves in the vast landscape of mountains and rivers with hours of boat rides for sightseeing.
The Lồng Tồng Festival, Tuyên Quang
The Lantern Festival is a traditional celebration of the Tày ethnic group in Tuyên Quang province. It takes place on the 8th day of the first lunar month every year, with the hope for favorable weather, abundant harvests, and joyous family gatherings in the upcoming year.
On this day, every household prepares agricultural products as offerings to the deities, such as square sticky rice cakes, pork, boiled eggs, multicolored sticky rice. In addition to the rituals, the festival is accompanied by traditional folk games eagerly anticipated by locals and visitors, including stilt walking, bamboo basket throwing, puppetry, cockfighting, spinning tops, martial arts performances, tug of war, pole pushing, archery, and singing folk songs.
Gò Thì Thùng Horse Racing Festival in Phú Yên
This festival is held on the 9th day of the first lunar month in Gò Thì Thùng, An Xuân commune, Tuy An district. Although the participants in the horse race are ordinary plow horses and the jockeys are genuine farmers, on the festival day, spectators will witness breathtaking races amidst the cheers of thousands of viewers. Besides the races, the festival also features lively traditional folk games.
Yên Tử Spring Festival in Quảng Ninh
As one of Vietnam's Buddhist centers, Yên Tử attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims every year during the festival season. On the opening day, the 10th day of the first lunar month, this year's spring festival will showcase the inauguration of the statue of Emperor Trần Nhân Tông in the An Kỳ Sinh area, catering to the worship and Buddhist rituals of visitors. Various activities such as blessing ceremonies, prayer sessions, and programs about spiritual enlightenment will also be organized.
The Fishermen's Gathering, Huế
Every year on the 12th day of January, the residents of Thái Dương Hạ, Thuận An, solemnly organize The Fishermen's Gathering. The net casting performance within the fishing festival takes place in front of the village shrine, followed by a boat race on the nearby river. The ceremony concludes with a warm communal meal shared between dignitaries and local villagers. The fishing festival is held to express gratitude to the village guardian, Trương Thiều, respectfully known as Trương Quý Công.
The Lim Festival, Bắc Ninh
The Lim Festival is a grand celebration in the province of Bắc Ninh, held annually on the 13th day of January in the Tiên Du district. Visitors to the festival not only get to immerse themselves in the captivating melodies of quan họ singing, ranging from inviting buffaloes and calling boats to the song of the flute across the river and the spider weaving its web, but also participate in various traditional folk games such as martial arts, wrestling, chess, swing contests, weaving competitions, and rice cooking.
The Đền Trần Festival, Nam Định
This year, the Đền Trần Festival will take place from the 12th to the 16th day of January, featuring two restored rituals of water procession and fish offering. The distribution of seals to the people and visitors will commence at 7 a.m. on the 15th day of January (February 14th). The Đền Trần Seal will be distributed at three locations: Giải Vũ House, the Trùng Hoa Temple exhibition house, and a designated area within the Trần Temple garden.
Sparkling Stars
Source: Travel Guide by Mytour – Via VNExpress
MytourFebruary 6, 2014
