Vietnam´s official travel and tourism guide

FESTIVALS
Traditional village festivals are a great tradition and a fundamental cultural practice in the daily lives of Vietnamese people. There are hundreds of village festivals each year. Each local festival has attributes of the ethnic group or the region where it is celebrated. In addition, there are also national festivals.
National Festivals
Tet Nguyen Dan (Lunar New Year Festival)
This is a time when family members gather together and offer incense on the family altar to honour their ancestors. This is also a time for people to visit and send greetings to their neighbours, friends, and relatives. Tet days are always regarded as an opportunity to enjoy traditional foods such as banh chung (a square-shaped sticky rice cake), the fragrance of which alone could strongly provoke one's sense of nostalgia for Tet.
Vietnamese Wandering Souls Day (15th of the 7th lunar month)
It is a festival of the wandering souls of the forgotten dead. It is customary to release a bird into the sky and fish into water, and to make ceremonial offerings to the lost souls.
Mid-Autumn Festival (15th Of the 8th lunar month)
Mid-Autumn Festival is a joyful occasion for children to beat drums, dance the lion's dance, have lantern processions, and eat pastries.
Local Festivals
1*t lunar month

1. 5th: Traditional wrestling at Lieu Doi Village, Ha Nam Province.
2. 5th: Dong Da Festival (Ha Noi) in memory of King Quang Trung who defeated Chinese invaders to liberate Thang Long Citadel.

- 6th : Co Loa Festival in memory of King An Duong Vuong who built the Co Loa citadel in an oyster-shell shape in the 3rd century BC.
- 6th: Perfume Pagoda Festival in Ha Tay Province. The festival last for nearly three months, but the 15* js the main day of the festival.
- 6th: Ha Loi Tempe Festival in Vinh Phuc Province, in memory of two heroines, Trung Trac and Trung Nhi.
- 8th: Vieng Market Festival in Vu Ban District, Nam Dinh Province. This is a spring market, displaying handicraft products of the region and beautiful ornamental plants. It involves a display of Chinese characters and stick fights.
- 10th: Yen Tu Mountain Festival in Quang Ninh Province.
-13th: Lim Folk Song Festival in Bac Ninh Province.
-15th: Va Temple Festival in Ha Tay Province in honour of the Tan Vien Genie who is credited with having defeated the Genies of the floods. The festival involves religious ceremonies and activities, such as fishing, Dam song performances, human chess, etc,
-15th: Ba Den Mountain Festival in Tay Ninh.
2nd lunar month
- 5th: Dong Nhan Temple Festival (Ha Noi) in memory of two heroines, Trung Trac and Trung Nhi, who led a insurrection against invaders in the first century A.D (40-43).
- 12th: Chu Dong Tu Temple Festival in Hung Yen Province.
- 19th: Quan The Am Festival, Ngu Hanh Son Mountain in Da Nang City
-21st: Lady Trieu Temple Festival in Hau Loc-Thanh Hoa.
Spring festivals:
- Festival of releasing birds in the northern regions, also involving folk games.

1. Long Tong Festival (means going to the field) of the Tay and Nung ethnic groups. It involves folk games, as well as Sli and Luon song performances.
2. "Buffalo Slaughtering" Festival in the Central Highlands, reflects the hunting skills of the young villagers spiritual wrestling of the Tay Nguyen ethnic group.

3rd lunar month
-6th: Tay Phuong Pagoda Festival (Ha Tay Province).
- 7th: Thay Pagoda Festival (Ha Tay Province).
- 8th: Phu Day Festival in Vu Ban, Nam Dinh Province in memory of the Lady Lieu Hanh.
- 10th: Hung King Temple Festival (Phu Tho Province) offers an opportunity for Vietnamese to visit their land of origin. It involves some exciting games, a xoan folk song contest, and bronze drum beating.
-10th: Truong Yen Festival (Hoa Lu District, Ninh Binh Province) commemorates Dinh Bo Linh, alias King Dinh Tien Hoang, the nation­al hero who was credited with repressing the Rebellion of Vassals and unifying the country. It involves a mock battle with reed plants as flags, a display of Chinese characters, etc.
- 15th: Do Temple Festival in Tu Son District, Bac Ninh Province in memory of the eight Kings of the Ly Dynasty.
 4th lunar month

1. 1st:  Dong Xam Temple Festival (Thai Binh Province), traditional silver carving village.
2.  8th: Dau Pagoda Festival (Thuan Thanh District, Bac Ninh Province) commemorating Mrs. Man Nuong who was credited with successfully fighting drought. It involves a procession and folk games.

- 9th: Dong Festival (Phu Dong Village, Gia Lam District, Ha Noi) in memory of the myth­ical hero in Phu Dong Village who defeated the An invaders.
- 23rd: Lady Chua Xu Temple Festival in An Giang Province.
5th  lunar month

1. 5th: Water Festival in Nha Trang. People in the city go to the beach and have a bath to improve health and get rid of harmful para­sites and worms.
2. 15th: Chem Temple Festival (Ha Noi) to worship Ly Ong Trong of the Hung Dynasty who helped the Chinese Emperor, Tan Thuy Hoang, hold the Mongolian invaders in check.
   6th lunar month
3. 1st: Tra Co Village Festival (Quang Ninh Province) in memory of the establishment of the ancient fishing village founded 600 years ago.
4. 18th: Quan Lan Village Festival (Quang Ninh Province) in memory of Tutelary god Tran Khanh Du, a famous general of the Tran Dynasty who defeated Mongolian invaders in 1288.

7th lunar month

1. 8th: Hon Chen Temple Festival in Thua Thien Hue Province.
2. 15th: Long Chu Festival in Quang Nam Province.
3. 25th: Duong Xa Festival in Ha Noi to com­memorate the anniversary of the death of Queen Nguyen Phi Y Lan, who successfully managed the country by issuing a policy of developing agriculture and paying attention to the life of poor people.
4. 29th: Lang Ong Festival in Ho Chi Minh City.

8th lunar month
-9th: Do Son Buffalo-Fighting Festival in Hai Phong City.
- 20th: Kiep Bac Temple Festival (Hai Duong) in memory of national hero Tran Hung Dao; Con Son Festival (Hai Duong) in memory of Nguyen Trai, also a national hero.
9th lunar month

1. 15th: Keo Pagoda Festival (Thai Binh Province) in honour of Khong Lo, a Buddhist monk who cured Emperor Ly Than Tong of a disease. In addition to Buddhist ceremonies, there are numerous games and a folk performance of the ancient dance vo ech.
2. 13th: Co Le Pagoda Festival (Nam Dinh Province)  in  memory of Zen  Buddhist Sorcerer Nguyen Minh Khong, a founder of bronze casting.

10th lunar month
-15th: Nhi Khe Village Festival (Ha Tay) to commemorate Mr. Doan Van Tai, a founder of the wood turner and horn articles-turner.
-15th: Ook Om Bok Festival and boat-racing in Soc Trang province
-18th: Nguyen Trung Truc Temple Festival (An Giang) in memory of Nguyen Trung True, a commander of the revolt during the war against the French in the South. It involves ceremony and exciting games.
11th lunar month
-10th: An Lu Temple Festival (Hai Phong) in memory of commander in-chief Tran Hung Dao, a national hero of the Tran Dynasty who defeated the Mongolians. -18*: Trung Do Festival (Ha Tay) in memo­ry of King Ly Nam De.
- 28th: Trang Temple Festival, Hai Phong City in memory of Doctorate Nguyen Binh Khiem.
12th lunar month
-15th: Ca Ong Festival in Khanh Hoa.
- 20th: Dinh Mai Festival in Ha Tay in memory of Ha Khoi, a native villager who joined leader Dinh Bo Linh in quelling the rebellion of Do Canh Thao vassal, controlling Thanh Oai District, Ha Tay Province.