HẬU GIANG — The first festival dedicated to the áo bà ba – the traditional southern Vietnamese blouse, especially in the Mekong Delta region, is scheduled to take place at the end of September.

According to the deputy chairwoman of the Hậu Giang People’s Committee, Hồ Thu Ánh, the event will be held in Vị Thanh City of the Mekong River Delta province of Hậu Giang, from September 29 to October 1.

The festival is among several activities to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the province’s establishment.

The Áo bà ba is a traditional southern Vietnamese blouse, especially common in the Mekong Delta region. — Photo tourmientaynambo.com

“Our ambition is to develop the festival to be a regular fixture so that whenever anyone mentions Hậu Giang, they will talk about the áo bà ba festival. Through the festival, domestic and international tourists will know more about Hậu Giang’s people and culture,” Ánh said.

The three-day event will include fashion shows presenting simple yet comfortable blouses. Interestingly, all the bà ba blouses presented at the festival are made from pineapple silk.

At present, Hậu Giang has 3,100ha of land dedicated to pineapple plantations, mostly located in Vị Thanh City and Long Mỹ District.  

“Using pineapple silk to create the bà ba blouse not only makes use of the available raw materials but also raises the value of pineapple trees,” said deputy chairwoman Ánh.

Alongside the fashion shows, the festival will also include an exhibition displaying photos of áo bà ba from the past until today.

Bánh xèo bông điên điển (sizzling pancake with wild flower) is a speciality of Hậu Giang Province. — Photo nucuoimekong.com

Festival-goers will have a chance to join folk games and take part in cultural activities.

Visitors can also learn about the distinctive local cuisine of Hậu Giang through popular dishes that will be showcased at a gastronomic corner.

The dishes include cá lóc đồng nướng trui (grilled snakehead fish in rice straw), bánh xèo bông điên điển (sizzling pancake with wildflower), bún gỏi dà – a kind of noodle soup featuring ingredients that are the similar to those in fresh spring rolls, chả cá thác lác (thác lác fish cake), and sỏi mầm – hot-stone grilled meat. — VNS