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The Vietnamese people have been celebrating festivals for hundreds of years. The national festivals are used as times to remind the young and the old of the history of the nation and to unite the community but there are several festivals that are celebrated by the different ethnic races that each has their own traditional worship services.

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Lim Festival: is a religious festival that is particular to the North. It is celebrated in the Lim village, not far from Hanoi, on the 13th day of the first lunar month each year. During the festival Quan Ho, special folk songs, are sung between the most talented ‘lien anh’ (male singers) and ‘lien chi’ (female singers).

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Cow Racing Festival: the Khmer, an ethnic minority group, celebrate this festival in the province of An Giang. The festival is held to pay respect to the departed family members and begins with a visit to the pagoda and lighting of incense. This is then followed by the energetic and often hilarious cow race. Visitors are always welcomed warmly as it is believed that the ancestors have sent them.

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May Festivals

Ba Chua Xu Festival: the Sam Mountain in the town of Chau Doc is the site of many religious temples and shrines. This is where the Ba Chua Xu festival is celebrated for four days each year. Visitors are invited to join in the many ceremonies held during the period.

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September Festivals

Kiep Bac Festival: is held at the Keip Bac Temple to honour St Tran, a general who was given ‘sainthood’ because he defeated the Chinese Nguyen Mang invaders three times. The five day celebration includes a pilgrimage to the temple with a procession carrying St Trans ancestral tablet on a golden chair. Part of the celebration also includes a boat race on the Luc Dau River with drumming to encourage the boaters

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