2026 Cau Ngu Festival Opens in Phan Thiet Ward's Coastal Fishing Communities

The opening ceremony was attended by Ton Thien Dong, Member of the Standing Committee of the Lam Dong Provincial Party Committee and Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Organization Commission; Nguyen Van Tam, Member of the Standing Committee of the Lam Dong Provincial Party Committee and Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Commission for Internal Affairs; Vo Thanh Binh, Member of the Standing Committee of the Lam Dong Provincial Party Committee and Secretary of the Phan Thiet Ward Party Committee; representatives of provincial departments and agencies; representatives of the Lang and Van temples of neighboring wards; along with a large number of local residents .

At the opening ceremony, Tran Nguyen Loc, Chairman of the Phan Thiet Ward People's Committee and Head of the Organizing Committee for the 2026 Cau Ngu Festival, emphasized that the festival is a traditional celebration and a revered cultural legacy of the fishermen in Phan Thiet.

This festival is recognized as a unique cultural and religious tradition that originated early in coastal fishing communities and has been maintained and celebrated for generations.

At Van Thuy Tu Temple, home to the largest whale skeleton in Southeast Asia, every festival season unites generations of local people to honor the Nam Hai God (the Whale God), show appreciation for the bountiful sea, and seek blessings for peace and prosperity, favorable weather, abundant catches, and safe, successful fishing ventures.

The festival is more than just a spiritual ceremony; it fosters a sense of unity within the community. It creates a space for fishermen to connect, motivate one another to pursue their livelihoods at sea, and uphold the traditional trades inherited from their forefathers.

Additionally, the festival serves as a living testament to the nation's sacred sovereignty over its seas and islands, as well as to the collective experience and age-old knowledge of the Vietnamese people in their relationship with the sea over generations.

The 2026 Cau Ngu Festival in Phan Thiet aims to preserve and celebrate the unique traditional cultural values and folk beliefs of the local fishing community.

Additionally, the festival helps educate the public about these traditions and raises awareness of the importance of preserving Vietnam's cultural identity.

Through the various activities of the festival, it is anticipated that local authorities, departments, agencies, and businesses in tourism and services will maintain their collaboration to safeguard and enhance traditional cultural values, progressively transforming the festival into a unique tourism offering of the area.

The festival is projected to help establish Phan Thiet Ward as a cultured, welcoming, and culturally unique coastal tourism center in Lam Dong Province, making it a compelling destination for visitors from both domestic and international markets.

At the opening ceremony, delegates and local residents enjoyed a series of special music and dance performances celebrating the "Country and People of Phan Thiet," along with exciting lion and dragon dances.

Running from August 1 to 8, the 2026 Cau Ngu Festival features a wide range of distinctive cultural activities, including the solemn procession of Ong Sanh's Command from Hon Lao to Van Thuy Tu; the Tien Yet ceremony and the Gio Sac ritual; and a lantern-floating ceremony on the Ca Ty River.

In addition to the traditional rituals, this year's Cau Ngu Festival features exhibitions, displays, a trade fair, food stalls, a Bai Choi singing festival, traditional folk games of the Ngu Quang fishing community, traditional Boi singing performances, and street art programs along Trung Trac and Pham Van Dong streets.