The ritual of carrying offerings to theTomb of Lê Văn Duyệt is performed in the Khai Hạ-Cầu An Festival. — VNA/VNS Photo Thu Hương

HÀ NỘI Spring festivals have begun nationwide, bringing vibrant celebrations filled with cultural traditions, lively performances and communal activities.

The Khai Hạ-Cầu An (Praying for Peace) Festival, a national intangible cultural heritage, began in HCM City on February 4. The festival, is held annually at the Tomb of Lê Văn Duyệt ((1764-1832, a high-ranking mandarin of the Nguyễn dynasty), featuring rites and ceremonies conducted according to the courtly rituals of the Nguyễn dynasty.

He significantly contributed to the expanding and developing the southern region of the country, particularly Sài Gòn - Gia Định (as HCM City was then). While serving as the Governor of Gia Định, his adept management of the economy and military allowed the local population to live in peace and prosperity.

The festival has attracted thousands of visitors not just from the city itself, but also from various provinces and cities in the southern region of Việt Nam. Many people have come there to pray for peace, health and for a New Year filled with professional growth, in particular for their businesses to flourish.

Mother Âu Cơ Temple Festival

Incense and flowers are offered to honour Mother Âu Cơ during Âu Cơ Temple festival. — VNA/VNS Photo Tạ Toàn

On the same day, a festival to honour Âu Cơ, the legendary mother of Việt Nam, was held in Hiền Lương Commune, Hạ Hòa District in the northern province of Phú Thọ.

The festival was opened with a ritual worship of the guardian deity at the local communal house. A palanquin procession began later in the day, taking the offerings from the communal house to the Âu Cơ Temple. Traditional prayers for peace, good weather, prosperity and happiness were then delivered.

The Âu Cơ Temple Festival, which has been recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage, marked the start of festive activities in Phú Thọ to welcome the days of spring.

Tịch Điền Festival

A respected elderly farmer representing the local people, assumes the role of King Lê Đại Hành to pray to ancestors and the god of farming. — VNA/VNS Photo Trần Việt

The annual Tịch Điền (Ploughing Festival) is the way locals have for centuries prayed for the year to bring them bumper harvests.

Opening in the Red River Delta province of Hà Nam, the festival dates back to 987, during the Lê dynasty when King Lê Đại Hành decided to plough in Đọi Sơn Commune, Duy Tiên District to promote rice cultivation.

Rituals held within the festival include the procession of a huge drum and King Lê Đại Hành’s ancestral tablet from Long Đọi Sơn pagoda to the foot of the Đọi Mountain, where it merges with other processions of the neighbouring villages.

This is followed by a ceremony to pay homage to the God of Agriculture to pray for a high-yield season and prosperity for local households.

75-year-old Nguyễn Ngọc An, a respected elderly farmer representing the local people, assumed the role of King Lê Đại Hành to pray to the ancestors and gods. He then descended to the field to plough and was followed by a crowd throwing green peas, peanuts and rice seeds.

Other activities included folk games, decorating the buffalo and agricultural product exhibition, attracting countless visitors.

Viềng Market Festival

Viềng Market Festival is a must-visited destination in Nam Định this spring. — Photo baohungyen.vn

The much-anticipated Viềng Market Festival has begun in the neighbouring province of Nam Định.

The special feature of the market is the spirit of 'buying luck, selling away misfortune' which sees buyers come there without haggling for low prices, and sellers who do not focus on making profits. Every item purchased—be it a hoe, a potted plant, or a small statue—is seen as a token of good fortune for the New Year, carrying hopes for luck and prosperity.

Visitors can also enjoy performances of traditional hát văn (spiritual singing) and hát chèo (traditional opera), intangible cultural heritages of Nam Định, within the market.

Hai Bà Trưng Festival

An artistic performance starts off the Trưng Sisters Festival 2025. VNA/VNS Photo Trọng Đức

A festival to celebrate the 1,985th anniversary of the Trưng Sisters Uprising will be on until February 7 at the Trưng Sisters Temple, a special national heritage site in Hà Nội’s Mê Linh District.

The festival started with a special artistic programme, meticulously staged to highlight the historical and cultural values of Mê Linh, the birthplace of the uprising against the brutal Han Chinese domination nearly 20 centuries ago.

The performance vividly reenacted the historical story of the Trưng sisters, from their childhood practicing martial arts to their realisation of grand military ambitions.

In addition to ceremonial activities, the festival features various cultural and artistic activities, traditional folk games and sports competitions to entertain both locals and visitors. VNS