The rice fields of Luot village, Ngoc Chien commune, before the harvest festival. Photo: Truong Son

In Ngoc Chien commune, the New Rice Festival, a traditional spiritual and cultural event of the Thai ethnic group, will take place on August 30th and 31st.

A special highlight of this year's festival is the buffalo worship ceremony and the "Buffalo Prince" competition. The festival will be vibrant with cultural and sporting activities such as rice pounding competitions, tó yến (a traditional Hmong folk game), pomelo football, goat fighting, fishing, etc.

In the wards of Moc Chau, Moc Son, Van Son, and Thao Nguyen, there is also a bustling atmosphere with the Moc Chau Culture and Tourism Week 2025, themed "Moc Chau - The Call of the Season of Love," taking place from August 28 to September 2.

Men and women participate in the traditional folk game of throwing pao (a type of ball) during festivals in the mountainous region of Son La on National Day, September 2nd. Photo: Truong Son

In addition to the opening ceremony with its spectacular artistic performances, there are also activities such as a cultural and tourism camp competition, a culinary competition, traditional Mong rice cake making, folk games, and community cultural performances.

In particular, the Bản Áng pine forest area will be illuminated with low-altitude fireworks, while the old Nông Trường town and Lóng Sập border gate will be vibrant with the Vietnam-Laos fair and cultural and sports exchanges.

In the mountainous commune of Co Ma, a highland market is held. Thousands of locals and tourists will be able to immerse themselves in the cultural atmosphere, enjoy local cuisine, and exchange local products.

The market was also bustling with cultural and sporting activities such as Hmong flute dancing, crossbow shooting, rice cake pounding, men men making competition (a traditional dish made from corn), pao throwing, tu lu competition, etc.

Traditional rice cake pounding is a popular activity at festivals in the mountainous region of Son La. Photo: Truong Son

In Phu Yen, the Xip Xi Tet festival will take place from August 31st to September 1st, considered a highlight in the series of activities celebrating National Day on September 2nd. This is not only an opportunity to strengthen community bonds, but also to promote the cultural identity of the White Thai people and many other ethnic groups to tourists from within and outside the province.

Visitors can immerse themselves in folk games, cultural exchanges, food fairs, fireworks displays, and the Miss H'Mông 2025 competition.

The Bua Pond area in Dinh Chu will be the venue for the 2025 Xip Xi Tet festival in Phu Yen commune. Photo: Truong Son

Local authorities are currently rushing to complete the stage setups and develop detailed plans for each activity. The events and festivals are being organized to create a special impression, while also promoting the tourism strengths of each region, contributing to the further development of tourism in Son La.

During the four-day National Day holiday on September 2nd, Son La province expects to welcome over 200,000 tourists, with projected total revenue exceeding 100 billion VND.

Bánh ít uôi (a type of cake symbolizing couples) will be prepared by locals during the Xíp Xí Tet festival. Photo: Trường Sơn

Amidst the festive atmosphere of the national holiday, Son La is asserting its position as a unique cultural and tourist destination in the Northwest, a place where unique and distinctive festivals converge, promising to attract a large number of visitors.