Among the culturally developed countries, Vietnam is one of those that have specific celebrations identified in our India. The whole-year-round different festivals amuse the cities and villages of the country with their light and liveliness. These occurrences also explain aspects of the culture, beliefs, and other facets of the feelings of a nation. Here, we will be giving some of the best, traditional and beautiful Vietnam festivals for your consideration.
The Laos new year is also the lunar new year which is called Tet Nguyen Dan.
Here is the list of Popular Festivals of Vietnam:
- Lunar New Year, Known as Tet Nguyen Dan
- Hue Arts Festival
- Hoi An Lantern Festival
- Wandering Souls Day– Ghost Festival or Trung Nguyen
- Perfume Pagoda Festival
- Mid-Autumn Festival
- Lim Festival
- Vietnam Independence Day
- Buddha’s Birthday
- Music Festivals in Vietnam
- Vietnamese Holidays and Traditions
Table of Contents
Popular Festivals of Vietnam: A Colorful Journey Through Culture and Tradition
Lunar New Year, Known as Tet Nguyen Dan
Tet Nguyen Dan or the Lunar New Year is officially acknowledged as the largest and at the same time the most appreciated and celebrated holiday in Vietnam. It is one of the several Chinese Lunar New Year festivals and is normally observed around January/February. Tet is a cultural event for people to respect for their ancestors and to welcome a new year as well as, happiness and prosperity.
In Vietnamese culture, during Tet, houses are cleaned and aesthetics are enhanced by putting up peach blossom flowers and kumquats. Candidates also put money into children’s and elderly’s hands particularly in red pockets (li xi).
Households buy traditional food products like Banh Chung that is also known as square sticky cake and gio lua a Vietnamese sausage. Sounds such as firecrackers, the loud noise of lion dance makes me feel that I am happy and lively out on the streets.
Hue Arts Festival
Currently, one well-known Event occurs in Hue: the Hue Arts Festival, that is dedicated to the works devoted to cultural identity of the city that used to be the ancient Capital of Vietnam.
This is a festival held every two years in which the council organizes events such as traditional music, dance troupes, theatre troupes, art exhibitions and fund raisers for the selling of Vietnamese handicrafts. Culture seekers can watch the realistic royal court music which is said to be listed in the UNESCO world heritage and the street parade which gives the actual flavor of the city.
Also Read: Hidden Gems of Vietnam
Hoi An Lantern Festival
The Hoi An Lantern Festival is one of the famous festivals carried out in the Vietnam territory. It is practiced on the night of the full moon of each lunar month. That is the story about the young town of Hoi An, which when night comes is flooded with thousands of lanterns that would set the sweet tone of romance.
People can write their thoughts/desire on a piece of paper and place the paper inside a lantern and it could fly over the Thu Bon River to attain prosperity and happiness. This festival also features music and dance troupes, so that all those, who want to feel the magic, will not stay disappointed.
Wandering Souls Day– Ghost Festival or Trung Nguyen
Similar to the Wandering Souls Day or Ghost Festival, Trung Nguyen is observed on the fifteenth of the seventh lunar month. In Vietnam this period is known as ‘ Hung Dao ’, where Vietnamese people have to feed the souls of their ancestors and hungry wandering spirits.
It is a cultural event that is observed in Vietnam, involves the burning of incense, preparing of foods, and performance of ceremonies in temples and everyone’s home. People believe that at this time of the year, the gates of the other world are left open allowing spirits come and pay their relative a visit.
Also Read: Best Time to Visit Vietnam with Family
Perfume Pagoda Festival
This is a major religious feast that normally takes between the 6th day of the first lunar month up to the third lunar month. Actually, voters have to travel to pay their respects at the Perfume pagoda which is located at Huong Thich Mountains. This is a group of structures made for Buddhism primarily for those seeking health, wealth, and prosperity.
It offers a boat ride at Yen Stream and hiking to a important temple with beautiful, sacred scenery.
Mid-Autumn Festival
This is Tet Trung Thu or the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is also celebrated on fifteenth of the eighth month of the Lunar calendar. It is the time for child to have lion dance, make Chinese paper cutting and moreover, enjoy the delicious mooncake. The festival is originated from Vietnam and in general, reading, Vietnamese games and tales are also included in the program of the festival.
Proper food preparation and comfortable seating arrangements are made for the family members, and children, women, and men gather to savor the beauty of the full moon night, which symbolizes togetherness and auspiciousness.
Lim Festival
The Lim Festival is surely one of Vietnam’s peculiar holidays and activities. Organized annually in Bac Ninh province on the 13th of the first lunar month, it focuses on the Quan Ho singing, which has been recognized by UNESCO.
When performers sing folk songs within boats and on the hillsides, this category of participants and visitors can relish a dose of the area’s musical history. Part of the celebration is the display of the Ebun Ugbo/Thanksgiving, wrestling, bamboo swings, and weaving contests.
Vietnam Independence Day
Vietnam Independence Day is observed on 2nd September every year. It is a national holiday to mark the Declaration of Vietnam’s independence from French colonialism in 1945.
It is a public holiday celebrated through merry-making, oratory displays, cultural fairs, parades, fireworks, or any patriotic activities that support the independence celebrations across the country.
Large cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh have large parties, and individuals take the opportunity to demonstrate their nationalism.
Also Read: Best Temples of Vietnam You Must Visit
Buddha’s Birthday
Buddha’s Birthday is one of the most significant religious holidays, held on the 15th of the fourth lunar month. It is celebrated to mark the birthday, the attainment of enlightenment, and the parinirvana of Lord Buddha.
Temples in Vietnam are adorned with lights, flowers, and fruits. Believers engage in activities such as washing images, processions, singing, dancing, and reading scriptures to commemorate Buddha and the dharma. The festival, to some extent, focuses on values like peace, compassion, and spiritual practice.
Vietnam Festivals
Experience and traditions can, therefore, be concluded as a broad, all-encompassing concept that allows the choice of the individual elements of the system that is being put into practice.
Vietnam festivals are interesting, and participating in them gives one a closer look at the traditions of the Vietnamese people. The unique aspects of Vietnamese traditions cover the importance of every festival and the pleasure of its celebration.
With the joyous Tet festival or the calm and peace associated with the Buddha’s Birthday, these festivals are the best way to unify the people and assert Vietnam’s claim to having a sophisticated and diverse culture.
Music Festivals in Vietnam
These celebrations are in addition to those with cultural and religious characteristics, while new types of celebrations, including music festivals, have been developed recently in Vietnam. Such occasions feature both established and up-and-coming performers as well as modern and native genres of music.
Some famous music festivals include the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival, which features fireworks performances along with music, and the three-day Quest Festival, which is a music/arts/nature festival held in the Thừa Thiên–Huế Province, central Vietnam.
Vietnamese Holidays and Traditions
Vietnamese customs and traditions are immensely connected to the occasions celebrated in Vietnam. This is likely the case since these celebrations mean that one can come back to terms with one’s heritage, celebrate the ancestors, and display ethnic characteristics.
It does not matter whether it is the typical feast and<|reserved_special_token_279|> festivals that are celebrated in Vietnam or contemporary music festivals – these events focus on the unity of people, relatives, and cultural values.
Conclusion
Vietnam has several festivals, which prove the sequential continued development predicated on the nation’s cultural and traditional values. Whether you are interested in significant holidays in Vietnam, such as Tet and the Mid-Autumn Festival, or you want to visit relatively unknown but quite colorful festivals, such as the Perfume Pagoda Festival and the Lim Festival, there are many occasions to join Vietnamese culture.
All the festivals, with their peculiarities and traditions, are a key to the country’s past and present, as well as people’s faith and solidarity.
Therefore, if you are interested in travelling to Vietnam or simply learning more about itsietnam’s cultural Indian, you should see these festivals firsthand.
Be it the sound of lion dances and firecrackers during Tet or the peace-making slow boat ride to the Perfume Pagoda, these celebrations are bound to give rich memories and a great understanding of the culture of Vietnam.
Also Read: Local Markets and Bazaars in Vietnam
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main festival of Vietnam?
Tet Nguyen Dan, or Lunar New Year, is the most popular festival in Vietnam and its major festival.
What is the April festival in Vietnam?
Next is April, the Buddha’s Birthday, which commemorates the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and passing.
What is the main festival in Vietnam in October?
The second time in a year that there is a great celebration is in October. Tet Trung Thu, or the Mid-Autumn Festival, is celebrated, and children take out their lanterns and have mooncakes.
What is the Ghost Festival in Vietnam?
Events like the Ghost Festival in Vietnam, Wandering Souls Day, or Trung Nguyen are celebrated to remember the ancestors and pray to the astral wanderers.
When is Vietnam celebrating the festival?
Vietnamese people enjoy festivities all year round. Although there are festivals like Tet, the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the Perfume Pagoda Festival with specific time periods, they comply all year round.
What is the festival of lights in Vietnam?
The second widely known festival is the Hoi An Lantern Festival, during which the old town of Vietnam lights up with thousands of lanterns in each colour.
What is the Moon Festival called in Vietnam?
Tet Trung Thu, or the Mid-Autumn Festival, is Vietnam’s answer to the Moon Festival. It falls during the middle of the eighth lunar month.