The Vía Bà Chúa Xứ (The Lady of the Realm) Festival will take place from May 22 to June 3 in Sam Mountain Ward, Châu Đốc City. Photo vtv.vn

AN GIANG - The Vía Bà Chúa Xứ (The Lady of the Realm) Festival at Châu Đốc’s Sam Mountain this year is not charging visitors any fees.

The on-going festival in An Giang Province shall last until June 3 in Sam Mountain Ward, Châu Đốc City.

This occasion also marks the 10th anniversary of the festival being recognised as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism between 2014 and 2024.

According to the director of the Management Board of Sam Mountain National Tourist Area, from midnight on May 28 to 11:59pm on June 3, which corresponds to the lunar dates of April 21 to April 27, tourists visiting and participating in the Vía Bà Chúa Xứ Festival at Sam Mountain this year will not be charged any fees.

From May 29 to June 3, the main ceremonies will take place, including traditional rituals such as the reenactment ceremony of carrying the Lady’s statue from the stone pedestal at the top of Sam Mountain to the temple stage; the bathing ceremony of the Lady; the ceremony to invite the spirit of Thoại Ngọc Hầu from his tomb to the Lady's temple; the return ceremony to take the spirit of Thoại Ngọc Hầu back to his tomb from the Lady's temple, among others.

Additionally, there will be activities to promote and introduce to both domestic and international visitors the images of the land, people, scenic spots, historical sites, and the distinctive, exemplary cultural heritage of the locality.

Trần Quốc Tuấn, vice chairman of Châu Đốc City People's Committee, stated that this year's festival is expected to welcome millions of visitors.

To ensure the safety of visitors, Châu Đốc City will implement various measures to maintain public order and security, decisively preventing social evils and theft.

The city has also planned traffic diversions, minimising the movement of vehicles in the festival area to avoid congestion or prolonged traffic jams.

In 2014, the Vía Bà Chúa Xứ Festival at Sam Mountain was included in the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Relevant authorities are currently preparing a dossier to submit to UNESCO, proposing to inscribe this festival into the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. - VNS