Young Mông women pose among blooming buckwheat flowers under the morning sun. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Tâm

TUYÊN QUANG — The Buckwheat Flower Festival, a flagship cultural and tourism event of Tuyên Quang Province, will return in November, showcasing the region's iconic blooms, spectacular landscapes and rich ethnic heritage.

Under the theme Echoes of the Rocky Plateau, the opening ceremony of the 12th edition of the festival will take place on the evening of November 6 at Thanh Niên Square in Đồng Văn Commune, according to the provincial People's Committee.

The 90-minute opening programme will feature an artistic performance followed by a traditional campfire gathering celebrating the cultural identity of the province's ethnic communities.

Festival activities will also include the 2026 Việt Nam–China Trade Fair, scheduled for November 5–11 at the provincial sports complex, with 300 exhibition booths taking part.

From November 3 to 7, Đồng Văn's Old Quarter will host an exhibition of OCOP products and regional agricultural specialties. The programme also features the second Spirit of Stone rock concert and traditional folk games across communes within the Đồng Văn Karst Plateau UNESCO Global Geopark, along with sports competitions and cultural performances.

According to the provincial People's Committee, the festival is expected to offer visitors memorable experiences while further strengthening tourism as one of the province's key economic sectors.

Buckwheat flowers blanket the hillsides during the annual blooming season in Tuyên Quang Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Huy Hùng

To ensure the hills are in full bloom for the festival, local authorities have planted 400 hectares of buckwheat flowers. Visitors will be able to enjoy the blossoms from October to December at well-known destinations including Pao's House, Lũng Cẩm Village, the Lũng Cú Flag Tower, the Nho Quế River area and Thẩm Mã Pass.

The festival also reflects broader efforts to position culture as a driver of sustainable development by combining heritage conservation with tourism promotion, community participation and cultural exchange.

For generations, buckwheat flowers have been woven into the lives of ethnic communities in Việt Nam's northern highlands. Each year, as cool late-autumn breezes sweep across the mountains, the delicate blossoms transform the rocky plateau into one of the country's most recognisable seasonal landscapes, drawing visitors from near and far.

First held in the former Hà Giang Province in 2015, the Buckwheat Flower Festival has grown into an annual highlight and a distinctive tourism product that captures the unique character of Việt Nam's northernmost region. — VNS