Da Nang has more than 60 traditional festivals, spread evenly in districts, imbued with the cultural identity, attracting a large number of the city-dwellers and tourists near and far. This year, relevant local agencies have made careful preparations in organising and managing festivals, ensuring security, helping participants enjoy a safe and civilized festival season.

The Avalokiteshvara Festival in Ngu Hanh Son District is one of the most important folk festivals practicing Buddhist beliefs in Da Nang. Photo: X.D

Ensure festival order

Since the beginning of January, about 10 large and small-sized festivals have taken place in the city, attracting a large number of local residents and tourists. In general, this year's festivals took place in a bustling, joyful, safe atmosphere, ensuring environmental hygiene and in accordance with traditional culture.

Festival activities such as boat racing within the framework of Tuy Loan communal house festival in Hoa Vang District, or traditional boat racing festival on Cu De River in Lien Chieu District took place quite peacefully and joyfully.

In particular, during the days of the festival, the police, traffic police, and militia were also constantly on duty to ensure security, food safety, and traffic order. Thanks to that, there is no situation of jostling, food poisoning, taking advantage of the festival for disguised gambling, theft nor superstition.

Participating in the Tuy Loan village communal house festival in 2024, Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan, residing in Hoa Phong Commune, Hoa Vang District, shared: “This year, although there were many people coming to the ceremony, there was no hustle and bustle, no abuse of votive paper. Everyone behaved civilly and was very conscious of maintaining order and general hygiene.

Referring to the spring festival in Da Nang, it is impossible not to mention the Cau Ngu (Whale worshiping) festival which is important to the spiritual life of coastal residents, taking place in Thanh Khe District (second half of January 2024 of the lunar calendar) and Son Tra (late February 2024 of the lunar calendar). This is considered the biggest festival of the year in these two districts, so special attention was been paid to making good preparations.

In particular, it was required that the process of organising the festival must ensure safety, solemnity and dignity. For example, at the 2024 Thanh Khe District fishing festival, held from February 27 to 29, the number of people coming to participate in the ceremony and festival was quite large but they join the event very orderly. Association activities were arranged scientifically and took place at appropriate time frames so that everyone could participate in them.

Building a civilised festival

From 2023, the Avalokiteshvara Festival in Ngu Hanh Son District was upgraded to the city-level event with dozens of ceremonial and festival activities, attracting thousands of Buddhists, residents and tourists to participate and worship. In 2024, this festival is expected to be one of the four highlight cultural events in Da Nang.

The Avalokiteśvara Festival in 2024 is slated to take place in 4 days, from March 26 to 29, highlighting 32 ritual and festive activities. Among them, there are many attractive new activities, expected to attract a large number of visitors.

As reported by Vice Chairman of Ngu Hanh Son District People's Committee Ta Tu Binh, to ensure that the festival takes place safely and orderly, the district’s relevant agencies is striving to meet the festival's requirements "5 no’s”: no theft, robbery,social evils; wandering around begging for food and littering.

Activities of offering incense and burning votive papers will minimized. The organizing committee also introduced a number of new activities such as photo exhibitions, book reading and drawing sketches about the festival so as to promote the beautiful, peaceful, civilized image of the festival to locals and tourists near and far.”, said Mr. Binh shared.

Since the beginning of the year, relevant agencies have focused on widely publicising the origins of the festival, relics and characters worshiped and honoured; selectively preserving the nation's good customs and practices according to healthy, progressive, economical trends, meeting the people's religious needs.

Reporting by KHOI NGUYEN - Translating by A.THU