Popular folk festivals being celebrated across the country

Popular annual village fairs ‘Vieng Phu’ in Kim Thai Commune of Vu Ban District and ‘Vieng Chua’ in Nam Giang Commune of Nam Truc District in the northern province of Nam Dinh will be open for public from the seventh until the eighth day of the first lunar month (Jan. 29-30).

Although the day temperatures have dropped to an average 14 -15 degrees Celsius, tens of thousands of people have flocked to both the village fairs.

The provincial authorities have dispatched more than 500 officials and police to maintain law and order and direct traffic.

Village fairs in Nam Dinh Province only take place once a year. ‘Vieng Phu’ sees an abundance of ornamental plants, agricultural implements and beef stock, while antiques are a popular item at the ‘Vieng Chua’ village fair.

Besides these, many more exciting festivals opened in the mountain villages of Son La, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Ha Giang and Cao Bang provinces in the north-western region on January 29.

Mong ethnic people in Sapa District in Lao Cai Province welcomed the Lunar New Year with the ‘Gau Tao’ festival and prayed for favourable weather, good crops, prosperity and health.

Tay minority people also prayed for rain, bumper crops and happiness in the ‘Long Tong’ festival in Bao Thang District in Lao Cai Province.

Yen Tu festival will open in QuangNinhProvince on the 10th day of the first lunar month

Meanwhile, the ‘Yen Tu’ festival, one of the biggest cultural events of the Lunar New Year, will officially open in Quang Ninh Province on the 10th day of the first lunar month (February 1).

While on January 29, nearly 200 participants from 13 towns and communes took part in the annual traditional boat race on O Loan lagoon in An Cu Commune in Tuy An District in the central coastal province of Phu Yen.

On the same day, 25 teams comprising of more than 700 people from 17 wards and communes in Tuy Hoa City in Phu Yen Province competed in the 16th dragon boat race on Da Rang River.

The Ta Cu Mountain climbing competition attracted around 270 male and female athletes from 34 teams from Binh Phuoc, Binh Duong, Tay Ninh, Dong Nai, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Lam Dong and Ninh Thuan Provinces.

The course covered 6,300 metres for males and 5,300 metres for females, which included 2,300 steps to the Linh Son Truong Tho Pagoda.

After 40 minutes, Ta Thanh Xinh from Binh Thuan Province won in the men’s open division, while Nguyen Thi Nga from Binh Phuoc Province won the first prize in the women’s division. The female runner also received the title, “Queen of mountain climbing”.