The programme serves as an annual highlight hosted at the Viet Nam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism. This year, the village is coordinating with the Departments of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of Cao Bang and Son La Provinces, and Da Nang City, along with more than 100 people from 16 ethnic groups who reside and regularly participate in activities at the village, to organise the programme.
During the five-day National Day holiday, from August 29 to September 2, the northern mountainous market space in the Ethnic Village Area I will vividly recreate the bustling atmosphere of a northwestern and northeastern highland market under the theme “Highlands in Festival”.
Approximately 40 stalls will showcase local products and traditional cuisine such as coloured sticky rice, highland steamed rice rolls, thang co, and corn wine, prepared by Tay, Nung, Mong, and Dao people from Cao Bang, Thai people from Son La, and ethnic groups based at the village.
Visitors will experience and enjoy the Nung ethnic group’s “Su tu meo” dance, a vibrant folk song and dance programme, Mong khen performances, the Nung ethnic group’s crop-praying ceremony from Cao Bang Province at the Nung Village, an excerpt from the Dao ethnic group’s wedding procession ceremony from Cao Bang Province at the Dao Village, and the Thai ethnic group’s new rice celebration from Son La Province at the Thai Village. On September 1 and 2, the “Highlands celebrate Independence Day” programme will take place at the Ba Na and Raglai ethnic villages.
After the National Day holiday, the programme will continue with a series of lively activities scheduled throughout the month.
On September 5 and 6, “Highlands celebrate Independence Day” will continue at the Ba Na and Raglai ethnic villages. At the Gie Trieng ethnic village in Ethnic Village Area II, approximately 30 Gie Trieng people from Da Nang will participate in the “Radiant Village” theme programme and the “Fragrance of the Great Forest” exchange programme.
At the Central Highlands Statue Garden, the “Vitality of the Great Forest” exchange programme will be held; the Ba Na Village will host the peace-praying ceremony of Central Highlands ethnic groups; and the Muong Village will organise “The Call of the Season of Love”.
In addition to programmes held at specific times, more than 100 people from 16 ethnic villages, including Nung, Tay, Mong, Dao, Muong, Thai, Ba Na, Xo Dang, Gia Rai, Co Tu, Raglai, E De, and Khmer, will sustain daily cultural activities. These communities will showcase traditional culture, perform musical instruments, organise folk games such as nem con, stilt walking, and bamboo dancing, and present handicrafts and ethnic cuisine tailored to various themes and time frames.
On the occasion of the new school year, the village will organise two-day, one-night experiential programmes featuring comprehensive packages titled “Village Footprints” and “Returning to the Great Central Highlands Forest”. The programmes are designed to enhance interactive experience and discovery, helping visitors gain deeper insight into the village’s cultural spaces, from ethnic villages to the mountain lake landscape area, fishing village, Ancestral Worship Ritual Area, and creative camp accommodation area.
