Lang Biang Gong Culture Festival Celebrates Highland Heritage
On the evening of June 17, the People's Committee of Lang Biang - Da Lat Ward organized the 2026 Gong Culture and Culinary Festival combined with traditional folk games. The event was one of the activities held in response to the 11th Da Lat Flower Festival 2026.
Representatives from the Lam Dong Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Lang Biang - Da Lat Ward, Cam Ly - Da Lat Ward, Lac Duong Commune, along with numerous local residents and visitors, attended the festival.
Echoes of the Highlands
Under the theme “Echoes of the Highlands,” eight groups of artisans from gong clubs and tourism businesses in Lang Biang - Da Lat Ward, Cam Ly - Da Lat Ward, and Lac Duong Commune presented traditional gong performances that reflected the unique cultural identities of their communities.
The festival also featured a reenactment of the sacred procession and the ritual honoring the Fire God and the Gong God, two highly revered spiritual figures in the cultural life of local ethnic minority communities.
Throughout the evening, residents and visitors enjoyed traditional festival performances, immersed themselves in the rhythms, songs, and circle dances of the Central Highlands gong culture, joined the community solidarity dances, and sampled local culinary specialties prepared by artisan groups.
Traditional Cuisine and Folk Games
The festival also included a culinary competition and a variety of traditional folk games.
Visitors had the opportunity to explore the ingredients, preparation methods, and flavors of traditional dishes prepared by ethnic minority communities from Lang Biang - Da lat Ward, Cam Ly - Da Lat Ward, and Lac Duong Commune.
Meanwhile, competitions in traditional games such as stick pushing, sack racing, and water-carrying with gourds created a lively and festive atmosphere, drawing enthusiastic participation from teams representing different localities.
Preserving and Promoting Cultural Identity
According to leaders of Lang Biang - Da Lat Ward, the festival was organized to provide opportunities for artisans, gong teams, organizations, local residents, and visitors to meet, exchange experiences, and celebrate their shared cultural heritage.
The event contributes to preserving and honoring the distinctive traditional values of local ethnic communities while promoting the image of Lang Biang–Da Lat to both domestic and international tourists.
It also serves as an opportunity to showcase community cultural life, traditional cuisine, local products, and folk games closely connected to the daily lives and agricultural traditions of local ethnic people.
Through activities such as this, Lang Biang–Da Lat continues to strengthen its cultural identity and develop unique tourism products that reflect the rich heritage of Lam Dong's diverse ethnic communities.
