11 Bac Ninh festivals for an authentic cultural experience

1. Lim Festival in Bac Ninh

• Date: 13th day of the 1st lunar month
• Location: Lien Bao and Tien Du communes (formerly Lim Town, Lien Bao and Noi Due communes, Tien Du District)

The Lim Festival represents Bac Ninh's most magnificent celebration. This festival transforms Lim Hill into a cultural stage, where 13 villages unite to showcase the tradition of Quan Ho folk singing. This National Intangible Cultural Heritage hosts diverse performances, where talented artists and passionate villagers showcase Quan Ho folk songs in courtyards, communal houses, floating boats, and temple entrances. This Bac Ninh festival preserves Vietnam's intangible heritage while welcoming tourists to experience traditions that have enchanted audiences for centuries.

2. Dau Pagoda Festival

• Date: 6th - 8th days of the 4th lunar month
• Location: Dau Pagoda, Tri Qua Ward (formerly Thanh Khuong Commune, Thuan Thanh District) 

The Dau Pagoda Festival represents Vietnam's most ancient Buddhist celebration. This grand festival encompasses multiple sacred sites dedicated to Tu Phap - Vietnamese weather goddesses (Phap Van, Phap Vu, Phap Loi, and Phap Dien) who became Buddhist-influenced deities, with Dau Pagoda as the central hub. The festival features elaborate processions where villagers transport the Tu Phap statues from their respective temples to Dau Pagoda. This Bac Ninh festival beautifully preserves Vietnam's ancient Buddhist traditions while strengthening community bonds through shared heritage.

3. Ba Chua Kho Temple Festival

• Date: First three lunar months, with the main event on the 12th day of the 1st lunar month
• Location: Ba Chua Kho Temple, Vu Ninh Ward

The Ba Chua Kho Festival at Ba Chua Kho Temple honors Ba Chua Kho (Goddess of Storehouse), a revered Ly Dynasty figure. Legend has it that she helped reclaim land, build communities, and managed the national granary. The festival's unique ritual follows an annual cycle: devotees "borrow capital” from the goddess at the year's beginning, write formal loan requests with specific terms, then return at the year's end to “repay.” Celebrated with elaborate processions, traditional costumes, lion dances, and sacred palanquins, this Bac Ninh festival attracts thousands seeking prosperity.

4. Do Temple Festival

• Date: 14th - 16th days of the 3rd lunar month
• Location: Do Temple, Tu Son Ward (formerly Dinh Bang Ward, Tu Son City)

The Do Temple Festival honors the Ly Dynasty at the historic Do Temple. This celebration commemorates King Ly Cong Uan's coronation and all other Ly kings. The festival features processions over three days between Ung Tam Pagoda and Do Temple. Nine palanquins representing the nine Ly kings are carried in spectacular parades with dragon dancers, traditionally-costumed soldiers, and participants in red robes. This Bac Ninh festival educates young people about honoring ancestors while recreating Vietnam's glorious heritage and fostering national pride.

5. Dinh Bang Communal House Festival

• Date: 14th - 16th day of the 2nd lunar month
• Location: Dinh Bang Communal House, Tu Son Ward (formerly Dinh Bang Ward, Tu Son City)

The Dinh Bang Communal House Festival is held annually at Dinh Bang Communal House. It honors mountain, water, and earth deities alongside six ancestral figures who rebuilt the village after the Ming army’s destruction in the 15th century. The festival prays for favorable weather, abundant harvests, and prosperity. There are ritual offerings, incense burning, and ceremonies with neighboring villages. This Bac Ninh festival features Quan Ho folk singing on dragon boats and traditional games like wrestling, cockfighting, shuttlecock, Chinese chess, and pot-breaking. 

6. Dong Ky Festival

• Date: 4th - 6th days of the 1st lunar month
• Location: Dong Nguyen Ward (formerly Dong Ky Ward, Tu Son City)

The Dong Ky Festival commemorates Saint Thien Cuong's legendary battle against the Red Demon army, when he recruited soldiers in Dong Ky Village before commanding troops to march on the 4th day of the 1st lunar month. The festival features processions of massive firecrackers (2-3 meters long) decorated with dragon-phoenix patterns. The ceremony involves four elderly men, who represent Thien Cuong's generals, performing rituals and praying for prosperity. This Bac Ninh festival includes folk games like wrestling, eel catching, Quan Ho singing, and chess.

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7. Phat Tich Pagoda Festival

• Date: 4th day of the 1st lunar month
• Location: Phat Tich Pagoda, Phat Tich Commune

The Phat Tich Pagoda Festival stands as one of Bac Ninh's most spiritually significant events. Phat Tich Pagoda holds profound importance as the place where Indian Buddhism entered Vietnam in the 2nd century, when monk Khau Da La established his hermitage here. During this Bac Ninh festival, pilgrims from across the nation gather to pray for health, prosperity, and family well-being in the new year. Beyond spiritual devotion, visitors can enjoy traditional activities including Quan Ho singing, wrestling, chess, and swinging, all set against the stunning Kinh Bac landscape.

8. Diem Village Festival

• Date: 6th day of the 2nd lunar month
• Location: Viem Xa Village, Kinh Bac Ward (formerly Hoa Long Ward, Bac Ninh City)

The Diem Village Festival in Bac Ninh honors Duc Vua Ba, who is believed to be the founder of Quan Ho singing. The festival blends sacred ceremonies with cultural performances, featuring traditional games like wrestling, cockfighting, and bridge-snatching. Ceremonial processions honor Duc Vua Ba, while Quan Ho melodies performed by master singers fill the air. Visitors can experience an unparalleled glimpse into Vietnam's musical heritage, where centuries-old vocal traditions embody the nation's cultural soul in this UNESCO-recognized art form.

9. Kinh Duong Vuong Festival

• Date: 16th - 18th days of the 1st lunar month
• Location: Thuan Thanh Ward (formerly Dai Dong Thanh Commune, Thuan Thanh District)

The Kinh Duong Vuong Festival celebrates Vietnam's founding father at A Lu Village. Vietnamese people across the country pilgrimage to the sacred Temple and Mausoleum of Kinh Duong Vuong. Solemn ceremonies feature processions, parades, and rituals. Cultural performances include dragon dancing, Quan Ho singing, water puppetry, and Trong Quan singing. Local craft exhibitions showcasing Luy Lau pottery and Dong Ho paintings, while festive activities continue throughout the celebration, offering visitors deep insight into Vietnam's ancient origins.

10. Cao Lo Vuong Temple Festival

• Date: 10th day of the 3rd lunar month
• Location: Cao Duc Commune

The Cao Lo Vuong Festival celebrates one of Bac Ninh's most legendary military heroes across eight villages in Cao Duc Commune. This Bac Ninh festival honors General Cao Lo, who helped King An Duong Vuong create the divine crossbow and build Co Loa Citadel. The celebration features distinctive cultural performances. Traditional wrestling matches dominate the festivities, reflecting the region's martial heritage. There are also swimming competitions and folk games that showcase this ancient defender's enduring legacy in Vietnamese culture.

11. But Thap Pagoda Festival

• Date: 23rd - 24th days of the 3rd lunar month
• Location: But Thap Pagoda, Tri Qua Ward (formerly Dinh To Commune, Thuan Thanh District)

The But Thap Pagoda Festival celebrates one of Northern Vietnam's most unique Buddhist architectural treasures. The ceremony features traditional Buddhist practices including Buddha worship, incense offering, blessing, and ancestral veneration. There are also Chinese chess tournaments, table tennis competitions, dove release rituals, and Cheo performances. This Bac Ninh festival serves the spiritual needs of devoted pilgrims while preserving the centuries-old Buddhist heritage of But Thap Pagoda and fostering communal connections throughout the region.

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These Bac Ninh festivals represent Vietnam's cultural heartland at its finest, where sacred rituals, folk performances, and celebrations create magical experiences. These timeless traditions invite visitors to witness the living heritage that has shaped Vietnamese identity for over a millennium.

To fully immerse yourself in these remarkable festivals, consider a stay at Vinpearl Hotel Bac Ninh for premium accommodation and convenient access to the province's cultural treasures. Vinpearl Hotel Bac Ninh combines contemporary luxury with traditional hospitality, ensuring guests enjoy both cultural immersion and premium comfort during their stay.

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