Da Nang’s Son Tra District has been organizing many festivals and other cultural events to promote its cultural and spiritual values, ​​as well as promote its tourist destination, in order to mark 80^th anniversary of Viet Nam Culture Outline (1943-2023), and implement this year’s theme for the city with a focus on unleashing resources, attracting investment, maintaining economic growth and ensuring social welfare.

A fleet of fishing boats head out to sea from Son Tra District’s Tho Quang Ward after ceremonial rituals as part of the Cau Ngu (fish-worshipping ) festival. Photo: H.H

A rendezvous with unique culture

Son Tra District is a hub for tourism, finance, trade and marine economy in Da Nang. Therefore, the Cau Ngu (fish-worshipping ) Festival was elaborately organized with a wide range of exciting events across three wards of Man Thai, Nai Hien Dong and Tho Quang in efforts to promote the value of this special festival which has been recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage, to domestic and international tourists.

In particular, a large number of local residents eagerly joined and explored the festival which took place in Tho Quang Ward on March 3. Festival-goers were treated to amazing festive activities, especially poetry performance to commemorate the merits of the ancestors who founded the Man Quang fishing village 550 years ago.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Mau, the head of the organization board of the Cau Ngu Festival in Tho Quang Ward, there are not many people engaged in offshore and deep-sea fishing due to rapid urbanization and strong development of tourism and trade. However, the Cau Ngu festival was organised in meticulous way, and it took to live streaming to reach a wider audience across the country and around the world in an attempt to preserve, protect, promote and develop distinct, unique and traditional cultural values of the district, and the city as a whole, as well as remember the merits of our forebears who reclaimed and established fishing villages.

The Festival also provides an opportunity for Son Tra District to promote its destination which boasts its natural scenery, beautiful beaches and unique and beautiful culture, contributing to attracting tourists and boosting local socio-economic development.

Tho Quang Ward People's Committee Vice Chairman Mr Le Tu Hoa the said that apart from traditional rituals, the festival featured many exciting activities, including volleyball competition, marvelous singing and dancing performances.

A similar event took place at the Whale Temple in Tho Quang Ward from March 7 to 9 with many traditional ceremonies and festival activities. Specifically, the festive activities include a coracle race, tug-of-war, a fish carrying competition, and beach volleyball and football tournaments. furthermore, there are booths displaying typical seafood products, and ‘bai choi’ (singing while acting as playing cards) and ‘tuong’ (classic drama) performances.

"The Cau Ngu Festival which was organized in Son Tra District with thorough preparations and amazing activities aims to promote cultural values of its own locality, as well as promote spirituality and beliefs in local residents. In addition, the event showcases the beauty and pride of local fishing community culture. The Cau Ngu Festival becomes a unique cultural rendezvous for tourists to explore the local life and culture,” Son Tra District People's Committee Vice Chairman Huynh Van Hung remarked.

Building a destination brand

According to the Son Tra District Office of Culture and Information, the district is coordinating with May Link Company Limited to make 8 music videos (MVs) to promote the image of Son Tra District. These MVs will feature songs performed by domestic singers and music performance with a combination of playing traditional modern and musical instruments while they will be filmed at local popular tourist attractions, including Son Tra Peninsula, and Mui Nghe.

The district will hold an event to launch these MVs in April 2023. In addition, the video producer will widely release these videos that will be broadcast on domestic and international media channels, contributing to the promoting the district destination and branding its destination in a bid to create a positive image and unique identity for Son Tra District. Also in April 2023, the "Son Tra Book Fair" and cultural events will be held for 5 days at the northeast side of the Rong (Dragon) Bridge to celebrate Viet Nam Book and Reading Culture Day (April 21)

Mr Vo Thi Phuong, the Head of Son Tra District Office of Culture and Information said that an array of cultural events and festivals will take place on both banks of the Han River to mark the 48^th anniversary of the liberation of Da Nang (March 29).  Moreover, there will be a carnival event with parade performers, the vibrant costumes and music shows, and the event will hit Tran Hung Dao Street. In addition, a boat race festival will be held in Nai Hien Dong ward and more interesting events will take place.

These activities are expected to contribute to creating a vibrant atmosphere in the district, and the city as a whole, in order to boost domestic and international tourist numbers. Besides, the district is working with local relevant agencies to launch the 2023 Da Nang - Summer Rendezvous program, and the Da Nang Beach Tourism Season 2023. Importance is attached to taking effective solutions to promote the development of trade and tourism services, develop the night-time economy, and promote the district destination on media channels.

Special attention is paid to developing a pilot plan to launch the night-time tourism services on the Nguyen Van Troi Bridge and the park on the eastern side of the Nguyen Van Troi bridge. Heed is paid to diversifying the district’s tourism products and improving the quality of marine tourism and resort services with a  focus on developing entertainment services, especially nigh-time entertainment services in the district to meet the needs of tourists. The district is also planning to open a showroom to display Vietnamese bamboo products, make 10,000 posters to advertise local mural streets, and publish a book named ‘Land and People of Son Tra’.

Reporting by HOANG HIEP – Translating by H.L