The peach blossom festival of Long Luong commune, Van Ho district, takes place at the stadium in Pa Kha village.

Despite the cold weather below 8 degrees Celsius and thick fog, from early morning, a large number of people from the villages of Long Luong commune gathered at the Pa Kha village stadium to decorate their stalls, light fires, cook sticky rice, and prepare the tools for pounding rice cakes. By 9 am, the fog began to dissipate, and the vibrant peach blossoms at the stalls gradually emerged from the thin layer of mist. Steaming hot sticky rice, fragrant with the aroma of fresh rice, filled the air, creating a lively cultural atmosphere that attracted tourists to visit and experience.

Cultural camp space at the festival.

The people of Co Tang village arranged and displayed agricultural products at the cultural booth.

The booth displaying traditional costumes of Co Long village at the festival.

Comrade Giàng A Đùa, Party Secretary and Head of Co Lóng village, shared: "For this year's Peach Blossom Festival, we have prepared a peach blossom tree with an arched shape to decorate the entrance area. Inside the camp, we displayed linen fabrics, traditional costumes, a traditional flute, farming tools, and various vegetables and fruits grown by the villagers. Our wish is to introduce the identity, culture, people, and achievements of the Mong ethnic group to visitors from near and far. The festival is also an opportunity for the villagers to celebrate the New Year, contributing to unity and solidarity among them."

The people of San Cai village are preparing sticky rice for the rice cake pounding competition.

The activity that attracted a large number of locals and tourists was the rice cake pounding competition, with the participation of 9 teams from various villages in the commune. Amidst the cheers and encouragement of the audience and tourists, the rhythmic pounding of the pestles filled the air. In just about 10 minutes, the delicious, chewy, smooth, and perfectly round rice cakes were completed, ready to be displayed and passed around for visitors to enjoy.

The rice cake pounding competition at the festival.

Teams decorate rice cakes at the festival.

A large number of locals and tourists came to watch and cheer for the competing teams.

Mr. Mua A Canh, from the Pa Kha village team participating in the sticky rice pounding competition, shared: "Pounding sticky rice requires speed and technique. If you don't pound quickly and decisively, the pestle will stick to the rice, making it difficult to lift and requiring more effort, and the rice won't be soft and smooth. When pounding, start gently to allow the rice to mix and stick; then, you must use all your strength to pound continuously until the rice is soft, smooth, and ready to be used for making cakes. The more thoroughly you pound, the softer, tastier, and longer-lasting the cakes will be. This is also a traditional activity of the Mong ethnic people during the Lunar New Year."

The judges evaluated the rice pounding and display sections of the competition.

Tourists experience making sticky rice cakes.

The festival also featured many exciting sports competitions and folk games, such as tug-of-war, pa pao throwing, and bamboo pole dancing, with the participation of hundreds of athletes from various villages. Each competition brought a lively and enthusiastic atmosphere. In addition, the festival included culinary and cultural performances. In the cultural performance section, each team presented three meticulously staged performances of singing, dancing, and music, showcasing the life of the Mong ethnic people, their traditional crafts, and their love for and praise of their homeland. These activities contributed to presenting a vibrant picture of the life and unique cultural features of the Mong ethnic people in Long Luong to visitors from near and far.

Experience the traditional bamboo pole dance at the festival.

Experience throwing the pa pao (a type of ball) at the festival.

Experiencing the cultural atmosphere at the festival, Ms. Nguyen Thi Men, a tourist from Phu Tho province, excitedly said: "This is the first time my friends and I have come to Long Luong commune, Van Ho district. We are so lucky to be here during the peach blossom festival. The scenery here is beautiful, the air is fresh, and participating in folk games and learning about the customs and traditions of the Mong ethnic people has been incredibly impressive and enjoyable. I find the people here friendly, hospitable, and united. I will definitely return here with my family and friends in the near future."

Visitors explore and experience the cultural booths.

The Long Luong Commune Peach Blossom Festival was first held in 2018 and has been held annually ever since, aiming to preserve and promote the beautiful traditional cultural values ​​of the Mong ethnic group and to honor, promote, and introduce the beauty of the peach blossoms in Long Luong Commune, attracting tourists from within the province, the country, and internationally to experience it.

Speaking with us, Mr. Tếnh A Chìa, Secretary of the Party Committee of Lóng Luông commune, said: "Over the years, the Mong ethnic people of Lóng Luông commune have preserved their traditional cultural features such as traditional festivals, house architecture, costumes, folk songs, folk dances, musical instruments, and cuisine. In addition, the commune's Party committee and government have promoted and encouraged people to plant peach trees in conjunction with the development of ecotourism. To date, the entire commune has more than 500 hectares of peach orchards. Peach trees not only bring income to the people from harvesting the fruit and selling branches, but also attract tourists to 'check in' and capture beautiful moments during the Lunar New Year and spring. Every year, the commune organizes a peach blossom festival with many unique activities to introduce and promote the image of peach blossoms, the people, and the land with its strong Mong ethnic identity."

Young Hmong women, dressed in their finest clothes, participate in the festival.

The Co Cham village's cultural performance at the festival.

The bustling and vibrant atmosphere, the colorful traditional costumes – all these elements combine to create a truly unique Peach Blossom Festival for visitors from all over, showcasing a distinctive cultural feature rarely found elsewhere. Besides promoting and introducing local peach blossom products, the festival is also one of the activities aimed at promoting the image and cultural beauty of the ethnic groups in Van Ho district to domestic and international tourists.

Source: Son La Newspaper