Every year, on the 17th day of the 7th lunar month, the Bao Ha Temple Festival becomes a cultural event that draws tens of thousands of people and tourists from all over the world. There are many cultural and economic activities taking place within the festival's framework, all of which contribute to enhancing people's spiritual lives, boosting the image, and expanding the potential of spiritual tourism in the Bao Yen district in particular.

Bao Ha Temple Festival held in the 7th lunar month every year attracts thousands of tourists.

Leaving the sacred area of Bao Ha, visitors visiting the Nghia Do community tourism site will be enveloped in the ambiance of the Nghia Do temple festival, which takes place yearly on July 14 (lunar calendar). The festival honors the Lords Bau, brothers Vu Van Uyen and Vu Van Mat, as well as a number of generals from the Vu family and the region who contributed to the construction of the defense line to protect Nghi Lang citadel, reclaiming land for military food production, and expanding and developing the Muong Khuong (Muong Nghia Do) land.

Special features of Nghia Do temple festival.

Following the Chay River to the gathering place of the Tay, Dao, and Nung people at the foot of Con Voi Mountain, visitors will experience the Long Khanh Temple Festival, held annually on the 10th day of the 7th lunar month to commemorate the merits of District Governor Tang Han Bao - the District Governor who had many merits in leading the local people to fight against the Black Flag invaders in the mid-19th century.

Mr. Nguyen Si Hong, Head of the Department of Culture and Information of Bao Yen district, said: In order to promote the value of historical relics and attract tourists to Bao Yen, every year, the People's Committee of Bao Yen district develops a master plan to organize festivals associated with the relics; directs specialized agencies to research and develop scenarios to organize and restore traditional festivals to ensure the correct history of the relics and local cultural traditions.

Com making competition in Viet Tien commune's Com Festival.

From 2020 to present, Bao Yen district has restored 7 traditional festivals including: Nghia Do Temple Festival (Nghia Do commune), Long Khanh Temple Festival (Phuc Khanh commune), Luc Village Temple Festival (Bao Ha commune), Hai Co Temple Festival (Kim Son commune), Pit Village Temple Festival (Luong Son commune), Com Festival of Viet Tien commune associated with Gia Ha communal house, Com Festival of Nghia Do commune associated with Nghia Do temple. Up to now, in the district, there are 9 traditional festivals held annually associated with historical and cultural relics and agricultural seasons.

Festivals are held with ceremonies imbued with local cultural identity and characteristics of the relics; the festival is increasingly expanded in scale, innovated in organization, with a series of unique and attractive cultural, sports, contests, performances, folk games, etc., creating unique tourism products at each relic, thereby attracting many visitors to worship and experience.

Every time the festival is held, the People's Committee of Bao Yen district directs specialized agencies to research and develop plans to organize cultural and sports activities, competitions, performances, folk games, and experiential activities related to relics and local culture. Through events and activities, they help to promote and introduce historical and cultural traditions to tourists, combining spiritual tourism with community tourism in each locality with relic sites.

Bao Ha Temple Festival is often associated with singing and dancing, spirit mediumship, horse-making competitions, offerings to Hoang Bay, etc.; Nghia Do Temple Festival is associated with activities such as Then singing, traditional water carrying competitions, stilt walking, crossbow shooting, model duck shooting, traditional culinary experiences, weaving competitions, etc.; Pit Temple Festival is associated with making banh giay, peeling and shaving cinnamon bark, etc.; Lang Luc Temple Festival is associated with tug of war, stick pushing, and throwing con, etc. Activities often have interactions and experiences between tourists and local people, creating a joyful atmosphere, leaving a deep impression on visitors.

Festivals are held with ceremonies imbued with local cultural identity.

Activities to preserve and restore traditional festivals have received consensus from the people and enthusiastic support from artisans. Bao Yen district hopes that in the coming time, the local traditional festivals will be known more by the people and tourists from all over the world.

Mr. Nguyen Si Hong, Head of the Department of Culture and Information of Bao Yen district, shared: Traditional festivals contribute to propagating, promoting, and widely introducing to tourists from all over the world the traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities in Bao Yen district; stimulating tourism, creating a premise to link with travel agencies inside and outside the province to build inter-provincial tours and routes, creating a brand for spiritual tourism and community tourism in Bao Yen district, contributing to increasing income for people.

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