Traditional heritage takes centre stage at the first Cà Mau Heritage Culture Day and Hot-air Balloon Festival, showcasing intangible cultural heritage from different regions of Việt Nam. — Photo baovanhoa.vn

CÀ MAU — The first Cà Mau Heritage Culture Day and Hot-air Balloon Festival will take place from August 28 to September 1 at Hùng Vương Square in Bạc Liêu Ward and several other locations, bringing together traditional arts, cultural experiences, local products and tourism promotion activities.

Held under the theme Hội Tụ Bản Sắc Văn Hóa Nơi Địa Đầu Cực Nam Tổ quốc (Gathering cultural identities at the southernmost frontier of the Fatherland), it is expected to add a new highlight to Cà Mau's tourism calendar during the National Day holiday and lay the foundation for an annual cultural and tourism event in the Mekong Delta.

A meeting place for heritage

One of the festival's highlights will be a space showcasing outstanding examples of Việt Nam's intangible cultural heritage from different regions.

Visitors will have the chance to discover cultural heritage recognised by UNESCO alongside traditional art forms including Huế royal court music, đờn ca tài tử (southern Vietnamese traditional music), quan họ (folk singing of Bắc Ninh), xoan singing, chèo (traditional opera), bài chòi folk art, ca trù singing, and Central Highlands gong culture.

Rather than simply presenting performances, the heritage space is designed to offer visitors opportunities to learn about the origins, cultural significance and transmission of different traditions, as well as experience selected forms of singing, musical instruments and other cultural practices.

Another space will spotlight Bạc Liêu's traditional salt-making craft, introducing its history, the lives of salt farmers, salt and processed salt products, and local OCOP products.

By turning a craft closely associated with local livelihoods into part of the visitor experience, the festival highlights how cultural heritage can contribute to distinctive tourism products while retaining its community roots.

The approach reflects a broader vision of placing culture at the heart of development, treating heritage not simply as something to be preserved but as a living resource that can inspire creativity, strengthen local identity and generate new economic opportunities.

By connecting traditional cultural values with tourism and contemporary experiences, Cà Mau is seeking to turn its heritage into a distinctive asset for sustainable local development.

34 balloons take to the sky

Hot-air balloons will fill the sky at the first Cà Mau Hot-air Balloon Festival from August 28 to September 1 at Hùng Vương Square. — Illustration photo

The hot-air balloon festival will add a contemporary and visually striking dimension to the celebration.

A total of 34 balloons will be featured at the festival, including seven tethered balloons, one balloon open for visitor access, 16 ground-based decorative balloons and 10 additional ground displays. Visitors will also be able to explore the inside of a hot-air balloon and enjoy a hot-air balloon lantern show.

The opening ceremony is scheduled for 8pm on August 28 at Hùng Vương Square, combining an artistic programme with a hot-air balloon performance.

The balloons will continue to feature throughout the festival, alongside art performances, heritage experiences, a trade fair, food activities and displays of OCOP products.

The combination of traditional heritage and hot-air balloons creates an unusual festival format, placing long-standing cultural values in a modern, experience-oriented setting and offering visitors new ways to engage with local culture.

Culture as a tourism driver

The festival will also serve as a platform for tourism promotion, regional cooperation and investment.

A destination survey for journalists, businesses and travel companies will introduce participants to Cà Mau tourism products, including Ngày Đất Mũi Xanh - Đêm U Minh Huyền Thoại (Green Cape Day – Legendary U Minh Night).

Other activities include the 2026 Cà Mau Investment Promotion Conference, a conference reviewing tourism cooperation between HCM City and Mekong Delta localities during 2020-25, and the signing of a tourism development cooperation plan for 2026-30.

Together, the activities connect heritage with tourism experiences, local products, commerce, investment and regional links, reinforcing Cà Mau's efforts to turn cultural identity into a distinctive tourism asset.

The timing of the festival is also strategic. Taking place around the National Day holiday, when demand for travel and cultural experiences rises, it gives visitors another reason to choose Cà Mau while encouraging longer stays and wider journeys through the southernmost region.

The province hopes the event will promote the image of Cà Mau as the southernmost point of Việt Nam, while showcasing its cultural values, tourism products and investment potential.

For a first edition, the festival is also a test of how traditional heritage and creative tourism products can work together. If it succeeds in creating a distinctive identity, the event could become a new annual cultural and tourism rendezvous for Cà Mau and add another recognisable attraction to the Mekong Delta's tourism offering. — VNS