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Hoa Lu Festival, the largest and most spectacular in the northern province of Ninh Binh, opens on April 8.
The festival is organized annually on the 14th -17th of March of the lunar calendar in Van Lam village, Ninh Hai commune, Hoa Lu district. It has the purpose of commemorating King Tran – who was a credit to the nation.
The Elephant Race Festival takes place in springtime, normally in the third lunar month. In preparation for the festive day, people take their elephants to places where they can eat their fill. Apart from grass their food also includes bananas, papayas, sugar canes, corns, sweet potatoes. The elephants are free from hard work to preserve their strength. On the big day, elephants from different villages gather at Don Village. People from near and far in their best and colourful costumes flock to the festival. The racing ground is 500m long and wide enough for ten elephants to stand simultaneously.
Thay Village (nowadays called as Thuy Khe Village) is located at the foot of Sai Son Mountain, and belongs to Quoc Oai District, Ha Noi. The mountain has a number of old pagodas the most well known of which is the Th?y Pagoda where is also worshipped Tu Dao Hanh, a monk of the Ly Dynasty who hailed from Lang Village (Ha Noi) and was endowed with supernatural powers.
Like the other cultures of the world, all Vietnam festivals and events are dedicated to something or somebody. They are celebrated to worship deities, to honor their ancestors and also to respect the kings of Vietnam who have played vital roles in both cultural and industrial development and in shaping the country as it stands today. One such occasion where they remember their ancestors is the Thanh Minh (Day of the Dead).