Festivals show characteristics of regions and ethnic peoples, as well as fine cultural features. They also positively contribute to moral education, ways of life, national patriotism, love for the home country, and unity in communities. At festivals, people can also enjoy traditional arts and games. Therefore, festivals play an important role in education of human conscience, ethics and lifestyles.

Festivals in Vietnam are diverse, with many forms. Contents and the organization of the festival may vary from one region to another. However, there are always two parts: ceremonies and entertainment activities. Festival ceremonies include reasons for holding the event by offering rituals for worshipped figures in the festival. A festival ceremony include incense lighting, votive offerings such as worshipping articles, joss paper, food and fruits… festival ceremonies are usually led by local authorities, the festival management board or prestigious people in the locality.

Festival entertaining activities are usually organized by the festival organizing board, with folk games and sometimes performances of traditional arts representing the social and cultural life of people in the local region. 

There are many forms of festivals throughout the country, which may be categorized as:  Festivals at pagodas, temples and communal houses, with famous festivals of this kind include Huong pagoda Festival, Hung Kings Temple Festival, Ba Chua Kho Festival…  Traditional festivals at localities (local folk festivals), such as Buffalo Fighting Festival in Northern Hai Phong city, boat-race festivals in several southern provinces, agricultural festivals, such as Ban Me Thuot Coffee Festival, Da La Flower Festival… Ethnic people festivals held for an entire ethnic group, such as Thai, Nung, Tay, Giao in Vietnam North, and ethnic peoples in the Central Highlands and South of Vietnam. Religious festivals, such as Vu Lan (Ullambana) and Buddha Birthday Festivals in Buddhism, Christmas and Easter Festival in Christianity…

However, the organization of festivals in recent years showed limitations and negative impacts. Too many festivals have been held, with nearly 8,000 festivals each year, thus resulting in waste of time and money. Several festivals held with sensitive activities, such as pig and buffalo slaughtering, created negative images and hot debates in social media. Activities of some festivals have not been strictly checked or controlled, leading to superstitious or unhealthy activities taking place during the festival. Services at many festivals were badly provided, and sometimes with rocketing prices.

From above-mentioned problems, and in order for festivals to be held in practical, economical and civilized manners contributing to promote fine cultural traditions, it’s necessary to implement four following measures:

Firstly, to raise people’s awareness and responsibility in organization and participation of festivals through communication, education and training of Party and State’s policies regarding festivals, particularly the Instruction No 42/CT-TW by the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee and the Prime Minister’s Official Telegram No 229/CD-TTg on strengthening state administration on festivals for reducing the number of festivals organized, the festival’s time and scope, and use of public fund for organization and participation of festivals…

Secondly, the agencies in charge of the state administration of festivals have to issue guiding documents for the festival organizing management in order to ensure contents, scope, time of the festival specifically planned and approved by competent authorities. The regulation for festival organization should be issued; the organizing board should assign tasks to its members specifically. Inspection of the festival organization should be conducted regularly and violations of regulations for festival organization should be strictly handled.

Thirdly, in order to ensure public order, social security and civilized lifestyles, activities such as robbery, fighting, superstition, gambling, money exchange for profit… should be timely checked and prohibited. Use of joss paper as a form of votive offerings should be reduced or eliminated. Services providers for festival visitors such as shops, restaurants, motels… should also be managed and checked so as to ensure order, food safety, environmental protection…

Finally, the use of funds raised for the festival organization from individuals and organizations should be managed in ways ensuring efficiency, transparency and publicity. The organization of fund raising and its use for individual interests or for ill purposes should be checked and strictly dealt with according to laws and regulations…

Nguyễn Hồng Chương