Several more traditional and ethnic minority spring fests are going on or set to run in the Northwest mountainous region, in central Thua Thien- Hue province and southern Long An province.

The fire hopping fest, running until Feb 16, is native to Pa Then ethnic minority people in the Northwest mountainous region.

The fest is indicative of humans’ boundless mental strength and intrepidity in the face of danger and is also held to ward off evils, sickness and celebrate good crops.

Meanwhile, the Long Tong fest of Tay ethnic minority people, which runs until the end of the second lunar month (around late March), features ancient folk games. The fest is held to pray for bumper crops, prosperity and good luck.

The Muong peace praying fest in Moc Chau district in the northwestern province of Son La is of great significance to Muong and Thai ethnic minority people’s spiritual life.

The fest, which runs until early March, pays tribute to the people’s ancestors through vivid re-creations of river deities and “thuong luong” (an imaginary monstrous serpent).

Held in March, the “ban” flower fest, also known as “Xen ban” or “Xen muong” fest, celebrates the gorgeous bloom of the area’s hallmark white “ban” flowers.

The fest accentuates couple love and family ties and conveys locals’ wishes for health, blessings and prosperity. Young fest goers also compete in folk games and express their love for their potential mates with songs during moon-lit nights.

Meanwhile, in Thua Thien- Hue province, the Thai Duong village’s whale worshipping fest in Phu Vang district, which ran on Feb 10 and 11, drew some thousands of locals and tourists.

The processions were joined by the village’s 102 family clans and accompanied by kylin dances.

The fest, which is celebrated sumptuously every three years, also features the whale worshipping ceremony, the enactment of fishing activities and boat racing in Tam Giang lagoon, which are expressive of locals’ hopes for bumper catches.

On Feb 11 morning, some hundred local fishing boats set off from Thuan An and headed for the East Sea, kicking off the lunar new year’s first fishing season.

The 500-year-old fest is considered by several local experts to be one of the country’s most gorgeous spring festivals.

In the meantime, Chau Thanh district in Long An province has completed its preparations for the Lam Chay fest, which is expected to receive more than 10,000 visitors.

This year’s fest, set to run at Tan Xuan temple, Linh Phuoc and Ong pagodas and Tam Vu market from Feb 13 to 15, has its origin from the French troops’ execution of two local patriots in the early 1900s. As the French forbade locals from holding funerals and mourning for the perished revolutionists, locals held the fest to apparently expel crop-destroying pest but in fact pay tribute to the patriots.

The fest has been filed for the recognition as one of the country’s intangible cultural relics.