Con Son - Kiep Bac autumn festival

The Con Son - Kiep Bac Autumn Festival takes place in the 8th lunar month every year, bringing the impression of a colorful festive cultural space, imbued with the nation's cultural and religious identity with many traditional activities.

The 2025 Con Son - Kiep Bac Autumn Festival will be held from October 1 to 11. This is the first time the festival has taken place locally after completing the administrative arrangement and organization of two-level government.

"In August, the anniversary of Father's death, in March, the anniversary of Mother's death" is a proverb passed down by folk as a reminder of tradition and morality. According to local traditional customs based on the Lunar calendar, if in March people head to temples and shrines to commemorate Mother's death - the transformation day of Holy Mother Lieu Hanh, then August is the death anniversary of Father - Father Bat Hai Dai Vuong, or Holy Tran, worshiped in Kiep Bac, Chi Linh city (Hai Duong).

Every year, between August 10 and 20 of the lunar calendar, people and tourists from all over flock to Chi Linh, Hai Duong province to immerse themselves in the traditional atmosphere filled with colorful folk culture, preserved through many generations of the Con Son - Kiep Bac Autumn Festival.

During the days of the festival, there are traditional rituals, folk performances and unique artistic performances.

Accordingly, the ceremony includes the Announcement Ceremony; Worshiping Buddha, Saints, Tran Trieu Council; Seal opening and seal giving ceremony at Kiep Bac Temple; Ministry procession; Commemoration ceremony of the death anniversary of national hero Hung Dao Dai Vuong Tran Quoc Tuan; Commemoration ceremony for the death anniversary of national hero and world cultural celebrity Nguyen Trai; Peace praying ceremony; Saint Tran's death anniversary...

The festival includes performances such as Traditional Boat Racing, Water Puppet Art Performance, Hau Thanh Performance, Army Gathering Performance on Luc Dau River, Lantern Festival...

At the opening of the festival, after the Announcement Ceremony, people and tourists will be immersed in the Performing Ceremony to serve the Saint. This is a type of comprehensive theater that includes singing, dancing, performing, worshiping rituals, exorcisms, blessings, and is a traditional spiritual ritual at Kiep Bac Temple.

Next, the Ministry Procession and Army Festival on Luc Dau River are also considered unique highlights of the Con Son - Kiep Bac autumn festival. This is a performance to recreate the strength of the Tran dynasty's army.

Down by the river, the military festival was staged, recreating the scene of the moderate King Hung Dao Dai Vuong Tran Quoc Tuan reviewing the army in 1285, with the participation of dozens of boats of fishermen and people in the area decorated with festival flags, weapons and colorful costumes.

On the shore are performances of lion dances, dragons, fists, sticks, swords... by hundreds of martial artists with the themes: Dong A's pride, Luc Dau's might and Triumph song, creating a majestic and heroic scene of the old army reunion.

Continuing the series of activities, the Peace Praying Ceremony and the Lantern Festival bring many impressions to people and tourists from all over. On the night of the festival, the entire section of Van Kiep River is lit up by the light of the 9-storey tower and thousands of colorful flower lanterns arranged along the dike slope. The ceremony aims to commemorate the heroes and martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the Fatherland, praying for the souls of defeated invaders throughout the ages to be freed.

After the ceremony, thousands of lit flower lanterns were passed from hand to hand and floated down the Luc Dau River, to convey their wishes to the sacred world, praying for a prosperous, happy and peaceful life.

Attending the annual Con Son - Kiep Bac Autumn Festival is not only people in the region but also a large number of tourists from domestic and foreign provinces and cities. The event brings unique feelings and impressions of a colorful festival and cultural space, imbued with the nation's spiritual cultural identity and beliefs, with many activities rich in humanistic meaning and with profound historical educational value.