Cau Ngu Festival 2023 will be a festival for people and tourists

Special art performances at the opening ceremony

On the evening of August 5, in Phan Thiet city, Binh Thuan province, the 2023 Cau Ngu Festival officially opened with many unique cultural and tourism activities.

This is an activity in response to the National Tourism Year 2023 "Binh Thuan - Green Convergence", organized by the People's Committee of Phan Thiet city.

After nearly 15 years of being organized at the city level, this year the Festival will be held on a larger scale, more grandly and with more special activities. The ceremony will take place from August 5-8 with traditional rituals such as the procession of Ong Sanh's Order from Hon Lao to Con Cha gate to Duc Thanh bridge and both sides of the road along Ca Ty river, the lantern launching ceremony on Ca Ty river...

The highlight of this year's festival is the festival with a fair space for display, exhibition, and cuisine on Trung Trac Street with the participation of 180 booths displaying and introducing: handicrafts, ornamental plants, agricultural products, food; garments, essential consumer goods, craft village products of a number of provinces and cities across the country and especially promoting OCOP products of Binh Thuan such as dragon fruit, fish sauce, fresh and dried seafood specialties... In addition, the festival also includes activities such as rowing competitions, basket shaking competitions, bai choi singing competitions, art performances...

Cau Ngu Festival has a unique regional identity; reflects the characteristics of fishing beliefs, expressing the aspirations of Binh Thuan fishermen to pray for peace and good harvests in their marine economic activities; gratitude to the sea, in which the Nam Hai god and the sea gods play an important role in their spiritual life, being the support for them to place their trust and feel secure when working at sea.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vice Chairman of Phan Thiet City People's Committee Le Van Chon said that the Festival is a highlight and a festival that attracts a large number of local people and tourists; an opportunity for fishermen to express their respect to the God of the South Sea and pray for protection and protection so that fishing at sea is always safe and lucky. At the same time, this is also an opportunity for seafarers to meet, strengthen community solidarity and mutual love in work and life.

In particular, this year Binh Thuan is the host province of the National Tourism Year, so the image of the festival also contributes to promoting the image of Phan Thiet homeland to domestic and foreign tourists. Through the festival, Phan Thiet city wishes to contribute to preserving spiritual and religious cultural values, promoting the beauty of community culture in modern life, becoming a unique cultural meeting place for tourists who want to learn and experience the life of local people.

With its unique cultural values, in 2019, the Cau Ngu Festival was included in the List of National Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

According to VNA