(VOVWORLD) - At the start of the Lunar New Year, festivals take place across Vietnam, drawing many young people eager to preserve and promote traditional culture.
 Visitors enjoy Quan Ho folk songs at Lim Festival 2025. |
Festivals are an intangible cultural heritage that vividly reflects the cultural, social, and religious life of the people. Vietnam hosts more than 8,000 festivals, with folk festivals making up around 90%. The rest include historical, religious, and foreign-influenced celebrations. Most Vietnamese festivals are held in early spring, symbolizing renewal and new beginnings.
Le Ngoc Linh and a group of students from Hanoi’s Academy of Journalism and Communication make frequent visits to festivals to learn about Vietnam’s history and culture.
"I often attend festivals because, as a journalism student, I need a good understanding of national culture. The most recent festival I attended was the Lim Festival in Bac Ninh province. I was impressed by the atmosphere and the mesmerizing Quan ho folk songs that male and female singers perform in traditional attire on boats. I believe such festivals give young people a deeper understanding of Vietnamese culture," said Linh.
The Hai Thuong Lan Ong festival in Ha Tinh province is an important cultural event that honors the great physician Le Huu Trac, who laid the foundation of Vietnamese medicine. The festival consists of rituals and a variety of folk games, sports, and cultural activities.
At this year's festival, Nguyen Minh Tung, a visitor from Hanoi, took on a challenging 800-meter mountain ascent. Although he didn’t finish in first place, he saw the competition as a chance to push his limits and emulate the perseverance, dedication, and resilience of Hai Thuong Lan Ong.
"These spring festivals give young people like me a better understanding of our country’s history and culture. By participating, we help to preserve and spread the values passed down by our ancestors, inspiring future generations to uphold and honor these traditions," said Tung.
 A procession at the Hai Thuong Lan Ong festival (Photo: VOV) |
Engaging the community in preserving and promoting traditional festivals is a way to protect cultural heritage while boosting tourism and economic development.
According to Dr. Nguyen Tuan Anh of the Youth Studies Institute, traditional festivals are a bridge between younger generations and the past that helps them appreciate the spiritual and cultural values of their ancestors. This fosters a deeper understanding, love, and sense of responsibility for preserving national traditions.
"Going to spring festivals and cultural sites is a cherished part of Vietnamese tradition. People, especially the younger generation, often visit temples, shrines, and pagodas to pray for peace in the new year. Encouraging youth participation in festivals is essential to preserving cultural values," said Tuan Anh.