Heritage - tourism bridge

Over 2,000 festivals – from tradition to modernity

Hai Phong city has more than 2,000 festivals of various scales, many of which have been recognized as national intangible cultural heritage.

The Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival has existed since ancient times, linked with the local fishermen’s worship of the water deity. Held annually on the 9th day of the 8th lunar month, the festival reflects the desire to conquer nature and aims to pray for favorable weather, and national peace and prosperity.

This year, the festival will again feature full spiritual rituals, buffalo processions and competitions, with a comprehensive upgrade in organization, ensuring absolute safety for participants, as the highlight.

“Since its restoration and development, the organization of the festival has been continuously elevated in both scale and quality, while preserving its traditional values and distinctive folk elements. The Do Son buffalo fighting festival has become precious cultural heritage and a unique, attractive tourism product, contributing to promoting the image of Do Son in particular and Hai Phong in general to domestic and international visitors,” said Pham Hoang Tuan, Vice Chairman of the Do Son Ward People’s Committee.

After expanding its cultural space, Con Son - Kiep Bac Festivals have also become major events of the city. Con Son - Kiep Bac is not only a special national relic site but also part of a complex recently inscribed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site.

This autumn’s festival will be held alongside a series of significant events: the 583rd death anniversary of Nguyen Trai, the opening ceremony the Con Son - Kiep Bac Autumn Festival, the announcement of the recognition of the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son - Kiep Bac complex as a World Heritage site, etc.

Directing the organization of the 2025 autumn festival, Tran Thi Hoang Mai, Director of the city Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said: “Our mission is not only to preserve relics but also to promote the value of heritage, so that heritage lives in the hearts of the people and captivates both domestic and foreign visitors.”

Spreading festival value in connection with tourism development

For many locals and visitors, joining traditional festivals offers fascinating experiences. They can immerse themselves in the solemn, sacred atmosphere, witness restored and preserved rituals, and learn about the local culture.

For example, in spring 2025, the Con Son - Kiep Bac relic site welcomed about 68,000 visitors, the 2024 Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival also attracted tens of thousands of participants. Beyond these two, Hai Phong has numerous other festivals with traditional rituals and vibrant cultural features that, once restored, can become attractive destinations during the festive season.

To turn festivals into appealing tourism products, the cultural, sports, and tourism sector and localities need to preserve traditional identity, fully restore rituals and folk games, while also applying modern elements such as sound, lighting, and visual technologies in a balanced way.

Moreover, festivals should be integrated with spiritual, ecological, and culinary tours, along with visitor experiences such as joining processions, making handicrafts, and tasting traditional dishes. Infrastructure for festivals must also receive attention and synchronized investment from local authorities.

When organized professionally and with values widely promoted, festivals will not only be spaces for community cultural activities but also become Hai Phong’s “cultural and tourism rendezvous” on the national and international tourism map.

TUAN LINH

TUAN LINH