VIETNAM FESTIVAL 2019 - Trails of Indochina
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VIETNAM FESTIVAL 2019
NATIONAL FESTIVALS
NEW YEAR’S DAY
1 January 2019
New Year’s Day is the first day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. The celebration of New
Year’s Eve has become more and more popular in Vietnam.
LUNAR NEW YEAR (TET HOLIDAYS)
2 - 10 February 2019
The lead up to Tet is always a great time to visit. Streets are decorated with flags,
Ornaments, cherry blossom and cumquat trees and the atmosphere among the best is lively
and jovial as the celebrations of a near year is upon them. It takes place from the first day of
the first month of the Chinese calendar (around late January or early February) until at
least the third day.
PERFUME PAGODA FESTIVAL
19 February 2019
The oldest & most attractive pagoda in the north, built in 17th Century, nice stream,
mountains & many large & small pagodas. River, mountains, pagodas & great surrounding
in Buddha world.
KING HUNG FESTIVAL (VINH PHUC)
15 April 2019
The national festival when the people show their gratefulness to their ancestors, King Hung.
CO LOA FESTIVAL (DONG ANH, HANOI)
10 – 20 February
The festival takes place at Upper Temple ("Den Thuong"), Dong Anh District, Hanoi, which
is place to worship King An Duong Vuong - the King of Au Lac. Guests can be part of a street
procession, see many interesting games: swing, cooking competitions and traditional singing.
LIM FESTIVAL (BAC NINH)
16 – 17 February
An early Spring festival in the north kingdom, this festival is the pure traditional culture,
‘quan ho’ singing is the soul of the festival.
Colorful costumes, fighting arts, wrestling, chess, and competition in weaving, singing and
even rice making
“XUONG DONG” FESTIVAL (DOWN THE RICE FIELD)
(Ta Van, Bac Ha, Lao Cai)
12 February
This is the tradition festival, rich in culture of Tay community annually, fall on spring time,
which Tay people wish to have the successful crops. Folk games during the festival: cotton-
made ball throwing, pushing sticks, balls push. Guests can see colourful costumes of ethnic
Tay people.
2NATIONAL FESTIVALS
GIONG FESTIVAL (PHU DONG, GIA LAM, HANOI)
12 – 13 May 2019
Annual festival to be organized to memorize back to the national legendary hero Thanh
Giong. Carrying palanquin ceremony, typical traditional dress, national flags.
BUFFALO FIGHTING (DO SON, HAI PHONG)
7 September 2019
Buffalos from different communes in Hai Phong & fight in a competition at stadium, the
winner buffalo will have a trophy & prize, and then killed for food. Buffalo fighting on the
ground with numbers on their back, festive atmosphere, the crowds booing, cheering.
THE FESTIVAL OF THE TEMPLE OF PRINCESS HUYEN TRAN
12 February 2019
Each year thousands of visitors come to the Huyen Tran Cultural Center atop Ngu Phong
mountain at the south west of Hue City for the Festival of the Temple of Princess Huyen
Tran which is organized annually on the 9th day of the first lunar month to pay homage to
Princess Huyen Tran of the Tran Dynasty for her contributions to enlarging the country.
Many artists and artisans from Thua Thien-Hue Province and other provinces in the central
of Vietnam also take part in.
The main cultural activities include an incense-offering ceremony at the Temples of Princess
Huyen Tran and King Tran Nhan Tong, the father of Princess Huyen Tran, a bell-ringing
ceremony, traditional art and music shows, martial arts performances, human chess, a floral
arrangement contest, and others.
SINH VILLAGE WRESTLING FESTIVAL
(Sinh Village, Phu Mau, Phu Vang, Hue)
14 February 2019
Yearly after the Tet holiday the Sinh villagers come to the temple to hold the festival and
worship their ancestor. The wrestling competition takes place with a beautiful way of
respecting and propagating the tradition of respecting the spirit of martial arts that has been
developed by many generations and has been an important part of their spiritual life for the
past 6 centuries
THE QUAN THE AM (AVALOKITESVARA BODHISATTVA) FESTIVAL
24 March 2019
The Quan The Am (Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva) Festival, a big Buddhist festival, is held
annually at the Quan The Am pagoda, Ngu Hanh Son District, Da Nang on the 19th day of
the second lunar month. The festival consists of two main parts - the religious rites, and the
festival itself. The Buddhist ceremonies include the offerings, preaching sessions, and the
Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Statue procession. During the festival part, various exciting
activities will be offered such as traditional boat-racing, human chess, an exhibition of
Marble Mountains paintings and photos, and an exhibition of calligraphy and tea culture, bai
choi folk singing, and interesting musical programmes over three consecutive nights.
The highlight of the festival will be the unveiling of a statute of Buddha Emperor Tran Nhan
Tong. It is not only a religious festival, but also a community cultural event, which helps to
promote the cultural identity of the Vietnamese people
3NATIONAL FESTIVALS
HON CHEN TEMPLE FESTIVAL
(Perfume River, Hue)
6 – 7 April 2019
The Festival day is on the 3rd day of the third lunar month (Spring festival) and the seventh
lunar month (Autumn festival). Hon Chen Temple is organized for the worship of the Holy
Mother Thien Y A Na (Mother of homeland) who created the land and the tree, the forest
and taught people the art of growing theses tree. The festival begins with a procession
referred to as the God Welcoming ceremony; as it is believed that this particular ceremony
brings all the worshipped Gods from the village's temples and shrines to the communal
house where various rituals are performed, including the procession in honour of Saint
Mother Thien Y A Na. The procession takes place at night under the moonlit sky with a long
line of boats are bound together into bigger rafts and set sail on the Perfume River shining
with myriad of lights.
The genuine feeling of the Hon Chen Temple Festival takes place in the natural settings of
mountains, hills, and rivers. Coming and seeing this Antique Museum of Nature, with a
unique scene featuring flags, fans, hammocks, umbrellas, weapons, and much more is an
enriching experience for any visitor.
Another highlight is the special performance filled with imperial characters. In this much-
awaited performance, actors dress up in flamboyant attire with amazing turbans and tunics
to look like princes and princesses of the Nguyen dynasty.
HUE FESTIVAL
27 April to 2 May 2019
The annual festival is held to celebrate the historical milestones and culture of the
Thua Hien Hue province.
LANTERN FESTIVAL IN HOI AN
Full moon every month
As the full moon rises over Hoi An, the monthly lantern festival begins. Take a ride on a
sampan and join the popular custom of lighting a small lantern to send down the Thu Bon
River and watch as is becomes illuminated with colours.
4NATIONAL FESTIVALS
BA DEN MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL (TAY NINH)
7 June 2019
There are two festivals annually: Spring Festival from the 15th to the 18th day of the first
lunar month and Via Ba Festival lasting from the 5th to the 6th day of the fifth lunar month.
The Ba Den Mountain Spring Festival is much boisterous than Via Ba Festival. Pilgrims go
there for religious reasons as well as for sightseeing. The landscape displays its beauty in the
fine weather. In the 20km-long route from Tay Ninh to the foot of Ba Den Mountain pilgrims
from near and far crowd the road.
THE BA CHUA XU TEMPLE FESTIVAL
(Chau Doc)
27 – 31 May 2019
The Ba Chua Xu Temple Festival in Chau Doc takes place every year on Sam Mountain. The
ceremony, also called the Via Ba ceremony, attracts a great number of visitors who
participate in the many folkloric activities. They also take this opportunity to travel around
and to enjoy the breathtaking landscapes of An Giang. Ba Chua Xu Temple Festival is rich in
the national identity and the southern colours, goddess of wealth for a prosperous life.
Experience the worship of the local people toward their ancestors and the spirits of
the region. Witness many traditional cultural activities are organized, including unicorn
dance, dance with dishes and cups.
KATE FESTIVAL (NINH THUAN)
TBA
The Kate is the largest festival which is held annually by the Cham ethnic group who inhabit
the An Phuoc District of Ninh Thuan Province. The Kate Festival is held on the first ten days
of the seventh month of the Cham Calendar (this corresponds with September or October).
The Kate Festival is an occasion for the Cham people to express their venerability to their
god. This god is considered the creator of the universe and is thought of as a national hero.
In the early morning of the first day of the seventh month of the Cham calendar, the
worshipping ceremonies are complete. Everyone then stages a procession for the deity of a
nearby temple or tower, such as the Polnu Nagar, Poklong Garai, or An Phuoc. The procession
is very crowded and the music of the Raglay people (the ancient Cham people) can be heard
everywhere.
In the temples, the worshipping sorcerer commences the ritual of the door opening (Poh Bang),
and the vice worshipping sorcerer executes a hymn piece.
At night, everyone from the villages gets together to see the ritual performances of the
traditional costumes (Poh Akharao). This traditional dance performance is accompanied by the
solemn Kapo music rhythms.
On the last ten days of the sixth month of the Cham calendar, the Cham people bring
precious gifts to their ancient Cham King. This ritual is held to thank their god beforehand
and to ask for help in organizing the Kate Festival
5NATIONAL FESTIVALS
NHA TRANG SEA FESTIVAL
11 – 14 May 2019
Nha Trang Sea Festival takes place biennially for a week in June. It is one of the greatest
festivals in Nha Trang during the year. The first festival was held in 2003 when Nha Trang
Beach was proclaimed as a member of the most beautiful Bays in the World Club. Nha Trang
beaches are always the interesting and attractive spot to tourists at home and over the
world. The festival purposes to honor natural beauty of Nha Trang as well as promote
Vietnam’s tourism industry.
There are many activities including various sport’s contests, fair and workshops of
traditional Vietnamese art objects, seafood based cooking contest. Particularly, more than
thousands artists and students participate in street’s show based on the unique culture of
Nha Trang region and Khanh Hoa province
WELCOMING THE LORD WHALE FESTIVAL
(Can Gio, Saigon)
13 – 15 September 2019
These are popular annual festivals not only in Hung Thanh Hamlet, Can Thanh Commune,
Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh but also in other coastal areas where peoples earn their living
by fishing. The cults of the whale of the fishermen in the coastal areas take place in this
period to express their worship toward Ong Fish (the Whale). The festival in the tomb of the
Water General is inspired with the sincere wishes of the fishermen for safety in service of
their business and their gratitude and honour of the holy Whale
OK-OM-BOK FESTIVAL (SOC TRANG)
(Chau Doc)
TBA
Ok Om Bok festival is a festival of the Khmer people, Ok Om Bok (worshiping the moon, give
thanks and pray for good crops) in the Khmer language. According to the Khmer belief, the
Moon is the god of weather and crops in a year. This festival takes place every year on the
full moon day of the Buddhist calendar, October full moon lunar year. It’s usually held at
hamlet of each Tra Vinh and Soc Trang province, where many of the Khmer ethnic people
live.
Paper lantern release:
Paper lanterns symbolize the aspirations of the people send to the god of the Moon, as they
well wish for prosperity and good fortune.
Ngo boat racing:
Before the full moon day, there will be a racing Ngo boat. A traditional rite to farewell the
god of water to the sea after the planting season. People line up by the river with jubilant
music playing. This is the biggest boat racing competition which also includes traditional
Khmer rituals and special performances by art troupes from other provinces in this region
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