Yến Stream is bustling with boats carrying visitors to celebrate the Hương Pagoda Festival. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — After celebrating the Lunar New Year (Tết) with family, many people waste little time before setting off again, as early-spring festivals offer a meaningful way to begin the year with journeys rooted in culture, belief and tradition.

Starting from the third day of Tết, locals and travellers from across the country heading north can explore a variety of distinctive festivals in different regions, enjoying spring outings, making pilgrimages and experiencing the vibrant cultural traditions that form part of Việt Nam's rich heritage.

Hương Pagoda Festival

The Hương Pagoda Festival takes place from the sixth day of the Lunar New Year until the end of the third lunar month in Hương Sơn Commune. This spiritual and cultural event attracts thousands of pilgrims seeking peace and prosperity. Visitors can also immerse themselves in sweeping mountain and water landscapes, spending hours travelling by boat to admire the poetic scenery surrounding Hương Pagoda. Together, these experiences make the site an ideal destination for sightseeing and spiritual reflection.

Tản Viên Sơn Thánh Festival

The annual festival commemorates Tản Viên Sơn Thánh, one of the Four Immortals in traditional Vietnamese mythology, revered for pioneering land reclamation, flood control and teaching agriculture to the people. The Tản Viên Sơn Thánh worship practice was recognised as national intangible cultural heritage in 2018.

The main festival day falls on the 14th day of the first lunar month. Key rituals are conducted at the Hạ (Lower) Temple, a national historical and cultural relic site, alongside incense offerings at the Thượng (Upper) and Trung (Middle) temples in Ba Vì Commune.

Đọi Sơn Ploughing Festival

Rooted in Việt Nam's agricultural heritage, the Đọi Sơn Ploughing Festival in Ninh Bình Province prays for favourable weather and bountiful harvests. Held from the fifth to the seventh day of Tết, the tradition dates back to the 10th century and was revived in 2009 after years of dormancy. Visitors can witness ceremonial ploughing rituals and take part in rural cultural activities.

The Đọi Sơn Ploughing Festival in Ninh Bình Province prays for favourable weather and bountiful harvests. — VNA/VNS Photo

Gióng Temple Festival

The Gióng Temple Festival in Sóc Sơn Commune, Hà Nội commemorates Saint Gióng, a mythical hero believed to have defeated foreign invaders before ascending to heaven. Inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the three-day festival begins on the sixth day of Tết and features sacred rituals, processions and the offering of symbolic bamboo flowers at Thượng Temple.

The seventh day is traditionally regarded as marking Saint Gióng’s deification.

Viềng Market Festival 

At midnight on the seventh day of Tết, the Viềng Market Festival in Vụ Bản Commune, Ninh Bình Province, draws thousands of visitors seeking good fortune for the year ahead. The event reflects a long-standing cultural tradition rooted in community belief and hope. On the following day, many visitors continue to the nearby Phủ Dầy Festival, dedicated to Princess Liễu Hạnh, one of the Four Immortals in Việt Nam's folk belief.

Yên Tử Spring Festival

The Yên Tử Spring Festival begins on the 10th day of the first lunar month and runs until the end of the third lunar month. Pilgrims and visitors travel to Yên Tử Mountain in Quảng Ninh Province to make pilgrimages to Đồng (Bronze) Pagoda at the summit of the sacred mountain.

Associated events include the Yên Tử Cherry Blossom and Yellow Apricot Festival, the Hang Son Temple and Pagoda Festival and the Ba Vàng Pagoda Spring Festival.

Lim Festival

The Lim Festival is a major cultural event held in Tiên Du Commune, Bắc Ninh Province, with its main day observed annually on the 13th day of the first lunar month. The festival developed from traditional pagoda fairs and folk singing gatherings.

A wide range of traditional folk games are organised, including martial arts performances, wrestling, chess, swing riding, loom weaving and rice-cooking competitions. The highlight is performances of quan họ (love duet) Bắc Ninh folk songs, recognised by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009.

Trần Temple Seal-Opening Festival

Held at the Trần Temple Complex, the Trần Temple Seal-Opening Festival is among the country’s largest spring festivals, taking place from the 11th to the 16th day of the first lunar month.

Alongside the seal-bestowing ceremony conducted at midnight on the 14th day and early on the 15th day of the first lunar month, the festival features lion and dragon dances, chèo (traditional opera), chầu văn (ceremonial singing), human chess and wrestling.

The seal-opening ritual reflects a longstanding cultural practice in which the king offered sacrifices to heaven, earth and ancestors to express gratitude. It also symbolises the close of the Tết holiday and the return to work. In recent years, attendance has increased as visitors gather to pray for success and prosperity in the new year. 

Bà Chúa Kho Festival

The Bà Chúa Kho Festival is held on the 14th day of the first lunar month. From the start of the year, Bà Chúa Kho Temple in Vũ Ninh Ward, Bắc Ninh Province, attracts large numbers of visitors seeking good fortune. Many businesspeople visit early in the year in the hope of blessings for smooth and successful ventures.

Through these traditional early-year festivals across northern Việt Nam, residents and visitors alike can explore distinctive cultural values while taking part in festive activities that foster a deeper appreciation of the nation’s rich cultural heritage and identity. — VNA/VNS