The Ninh Thuận Grape and Wine Festival 2023 opened on June 15 in Ninh Thuận Province’s Phan Rang-Tháp Chàm City. — VNS Photo Hồng Linh

NINH THUẬN — The Ninh Thuận Grape and Wine Fest, with the theme "Land of Unique Values", officially began on June 15 in Phan Rang-Tháp Chàm City, Ninh Thuận Province.

The event is organised every two years to honor farmers, businesses and scientists who contribute to the development of the Ninh Thuận grape brand as well as give them a place to meet and exchange experiences with other experts in the field.

The event is an opportunity for the province to promote tourism with its long beautiful coastline, the distinctive culture of the Chăm people, and its unique cuisine.

President Võ Văn Thưởng and Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà attended the opening ceremony, along with many other government officials, local people and visitors.

The Chairman of Ninh Thuận People's Committee said that the festival was first held in 2014, and since then has become a traditional festival of the province.

Deputy Prime Minister Hà said that this is an occasion to promote Ninh Thuận grape-wine brand to domestic and world markets.

Visitors can learn more about the cultural values of the province and experience its natural beauty through the festival, he added.

The festival will feature fireworks, art performances of famous singer Tùng Dương, Dương Hoàng Yến, and Minh Hằng with more than 400 volunteers at the ceremony.

Firework performance at the end of the opening ceremony. — VNS Photo Hồng Linh

In addition, visitors can enjoy many other activities such as a food festival with 100 stalls of Ninh Thuận's signature dishes, vineyard tours, and a grapevine trellis contest.

Ninh Thuận wines and grapes at the food festival. — VNS Photo Hồng Linh

UNESCO also recognised at a ceremony that the art of pottery making by the Chăm people is an Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. 

Grapes are a specialty and industrial crop of Ninh Thuận, contributing about 20 per cent of the province's agriculture GDP. The province has 1,060ha of grape crops, with an annual output of 30,000 tonnes.

The festival lasts until June 18. — VNS