Amidst the festive spring atmosphere, locals as well as visitors flocked to the provincial Chiem Hoa district for the age-old agriculture festival, which is traditionally observed on the eighth day of the first lunar month to pray for favourable weather, bumper crops, and happiness.
The annual event began with a parade of nine trays of local specialties as offering to gods to thank them for good crops and hope for a well-off and blissful life in the New Year.
It was followed by a lion dance performed by youngsters, a Tich Dien (ploughing) ceremony, and folk games such as tug of war, stick pushing and cloth ball throwing.
The festival, which is also popular in other northern mountainous provinces such as Bac Kan, Thai Nguyen, Cao Bang, Lang Son and Ha Giang, has become a tourist attraction taking place every Spring.
In addition to Long Tong festival, Tuyen Quang province boasts other national intangible cultural heritages, including Then singing of the Tay ethnic minority group, ‘cap sac’ (coming-of-age) and “Pao dung” singing of the Dao ethnic group.
