Da Nang has a rich festival system with diverse types, from traditional to modern, from serving the spiritual needs of the people to attracting tourists. Festivals are maintained and enhanced by the city over the years, creating a highlight for its culture, contributing to its socio-economic development and positioning the brand ‘Asia's leading destination of festivals and events’.

The welcoming ceremony is one of the most important rituals of the fishing festival in districts in the city. Photo: X.D

Building a civilised festival brand

According to the Da Nang Department of Culture and Sports, there are currently 4 types of festivals in the city, including: traditional, cultural festivals, craft festivals and festivals of foreign origin. In particular, traditional festivals account for the largest number with 61, held annually or periodically every few years, in the form of community cultural activities.

With a regard to traditional festivals, the city has many typical festivals such as Quan The Am Festival in Ngu Hanh Son District, Tuy Loan communal house festival in Hoa Vang District, Hai Chau communal house festival in the namesake district and ‘Cau ngu’ (Fish Worshipping) festivals across the city held annually, attracting a large number of local residents and tourists.

The cost of organising festivals in the city are mostly voluntarily contributed by local residents and support from the local authorities in terms of security and order assurance. Every year, the Department of Culture and Sports directs the inspection force to strengthen inspection work, strictly handle violations in the management and organisation of festivals.

At the same time, the districts implement civilised lifestyles, take timely measures to prevent negative manifestations in organising festivals, selectively preserve good customs and practices of the nation in a healthy, progressive, economical direction, meeting the religious needs of the people.

Thanks to the efforts made by the municipal government, the district-level authorities and residents, festivals are increasingly organised in a civilized manner, limiting incense and votive paper. The Quan The Am Festival is a bright spot, the most typical in building a civilized festival in the city.

Since becoming a national intangible heritage in 2021 and being upgraded to a city-level festival  in 2023, the Quan The Am Festival has been organised on a larger scale, attracting more participants, but is still very solemn, safe and civilized.

According to Vice Chairman of Ngu Hanh Son District People's Committee Ta Tu Binh, so as to ensure that the festival takes place safely and orderly, the locality always proactively coordinates with sub-committees to help implement the "5 no" festival: no theft, robbery and social evils; no wandering, begging; no littering, no violations of food hygiene and safety; no soliciting customers, no price gouging; no superstitious activities. Incense offering and burning of votive paper are also limited to a minimum whilst prices are clearly listed at shops. In addition, issues such as increasing parking fees, street vendors, disguised beggars and  superstitious activities are also thoroughly eliminated.

Here is an art performance at the final night of the 2024 Da Nang International Fireworks Festival. Photo: X.D

Linking festival promotion with socio-economic development

The relationship between culture and tourism, especially using festivals to attract tourists, is increasingly evident in the city’s current socio-economic development. During the five nights of the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival (DIFF) 2024, the number of guests served by accommodation establishments reached nearly 360,000 people. On the day of the DIFF 2024 finale on July 13, there were about 147 flights to Da Nang and nearly 8,000 visitors to the city by train.

In an interview with Da Nang Newspaper after the DIFF 2024 finale, Chairman of the Da Nang People's Committee Le Trung Chinh affirmed that DIFF 2024 was successfully organised, contributing greatly to service revenue as well as attracting more tourists to the city. This is a very good signal for the city to make more efforts in organising the next editions of DIFF.

The requirements and goals of the festival have all been achieved, especially receiving high appreciation from local residents and domestic and foreign tourists as well. “Inheriting these results, the city will continue to innovate so that DIFF can continue to be rich and diverse in terms of events, meeting the expectations of the city-dwellers and tourists”, said the Chairman of the Da Nang People's Committee.

Currently, the municipal People's Committee is drafting a plan to preserve and promote the value of festivals in the city until 2030, in order to raise awareness of society, cultural entities and related organisations and individuals about the task of protecting and promoting the value of festivals; diversifying tourism products from festival values; promoting the value of festival cultural heritage linked with sustainable tourism development, promoting the city’s socio-economic development.

As the unit assigned to preside over the development and implementation of the plan, the Da NangDepartment of Culture and Sports said that in the coming time, the city will strengthen State management of festivals and promotion of festival cultural values; deploy activities to collect, inventory and assess the current status of festivals. In particular, heed will be paid to investing in the restoration and embellishment of relics associated with festivals, and having solutions to ensure the aesthetics of festival organisation.

At the same time, the Department will organise classes to teach and practice rituals, ceremonies and traditional games in the festival, along with review and restore valuable rituals and traditional cultural values that are at risk of being lost or forgotten.

It is expected that by 2027, the city will have completed the digitisation of 100% of festival data in the area. In 2028, publications and search portals on Da Nang festivals will have been completed.

Reporting by K.NGUYEN - Translating by A.THU