Here are a few of the big festivals and events happening in Vietnam this year that Michelle is excited about!
Cow Racing Festival: Each year on the last day of the Khmer calendar, the Khmer, an ethnic minority group living in the Mekong delta province of An Giang, hold a festival to honor their ancestors. The festival begins with a visit to the pagoda, where Khmer families invite the souls of their ancestors to dine with the living. After these quiet ceremonies, the highlight of the festival begins, the cow races. The track is set up to be as muddy as possible, and hilarity is sure to ensue. Mid April.
Buddha’s Birthday is celebrated all over the Buddhist world, including in Vietnam, on the 15th day of the fourth lunar month. Ho Chi Minh City is one of the best places to be on the Buddha’s Birthday to witness the love and devotion expressed on this day. May 10th
Mid-Autumn Festival – Apart from the Lunar New Year, the Mid-Autumn Festival is the most impressive event for the Vietnamese, particularly the children. There is no other event in the year other than this festival that provides them with as much entertainment, toys, cakes, candies, and fruit. It is also sometimes called the “moon festival”, so moon cakes are always the most popular treat. Lion dances and star shaped lanterns abound during this festival, and both are thought to bring good luck. September 12th
Tết or “Vietnamese Lunar New Year”, is the most important and popular holiday and festival in Vietnam. It marks the arrival of Spring, and lasts for at least 3 days, usually a whole week. Vietnamese people usually return to their families during Tết; some return to worship at the family altar or visit the graves of their ancestors in their homeland. The Vietnamese believe that Tet marks the time when the Kitchen God reports on their family to the Jade Emperor. Houses are cleaned and offerings are made so that they will have good luck for the new year. Tet is a great time to see Vietnam at its most colorful, especially in the cities of Hue, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City. However, since so many people go home for the holiday, transportation can be a bit unreliable. The festival already happened this year, but in 2012 Tet starts on January 23rd.
