Addressing the opening ceremony, Chairman of the Yen The Commune People's Committee Phan Tung Duong emphasised that Yen The is an ancient land with a rich cultural and historical heritage.
The local is not only associated with the Yen The Uprising (1884–1913), led by national hero Hoang Hoa Tham, but is also renowned for its lush green hills and forests, One Commune One Product (OCOP) products and distinctive local cuisine.
The food festival provides a meeting place for tradition and modernity, culture and economic development, and producers and consumers, contributing to the preservation and promotion of cultural values while boosting tourism.
The festival features nearly 100 stalls run by villages, communes, businesses, cooperatives and household enterprises from both within and outside the locality.
Decorated with traditional materials such as bamboo, leaves and straw, the stalls showcase OCOP products, local specialities and traditional dishes.
Among the highlights is the renowned Yen The free-range chicken brand, which has enjoyed certification mark protection since 2011. Alongside herbal-fed chicken, visitors can enjoy goat meat, roast pork, green tea, wild honey and a wide variety of dishes prepared from other local ingredients.
The festival also features a range of engaging competitions and activities, including cooking contests, pig and goat roasting, lotus-leaf grilled chicken, traditional sticky rice cake pounding, a cooking competition themed “A warm family meal filled with love”, and a “Beautiful chicken pair” contest.
Cultural performances featuring cheo (traditional opera), then singing, hat van (spritual singing), bamboo dancing and folk dances, together with ornamental plant displays, tea-tasting activities and artistic performances, create a lively atmosphere rich in the cultural identities of local ethnic communities.
Notably, the Yen The Uprising Exhibition House and related historical sites are open to visitors throughout the festival, allowing tourists to combine culinary experiences with an exploration of the history of the Phon Xuong area.
Through the event, local authorities aim to encourage producers to improve product quality and develop their brands, while expanding opportunities for trade promotion and the development of ecological, community-based and cultural tourism.
The seven-day festival is scheduled to conclude on the afternoon of November 5 with an awards ceremony honouring winners of the various competitions. The event is expected to further promote Yen The's distinctive cultural identity, stimulate consumption of local products and contribute to economic and tourism development.
