As Spring Festival season of the Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026 approaches

As the Spring of the Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026 draws near, a lively festive spirit is taking hold across Dong Nai province. Beyond meeting the public’s cultural and spiritual needs, the celebrations also play a role in preserving and promoting cultural heritage values and strengthening community bonds.

Street performances during the annual deity procession at the Ong Pagoda Festival in Tran Bien Ward draw large crowds of residents and tourists. Photo: My Ny

Festival management and organization have been carried out in a coordinated and orderly manner by cultural, sports and tourism authorities in coordination with local governments, aiming to deliver a joyful, safe, civilized and meaningful spring festival season.

A vibrant early spring festival atmosphere

This year’s spring festival season will begin simultaneously across the province on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month of the Year of the Snake. The highlights feature a Day of Wrapping and making Chung cakes (square glutinous rice cakes) and Tet cakes (cylindrical sticky rice cakes), arranging five‑fruit trays, decorating ancestral altars and the festive day of offering ritual foods in remembrance of forebears. In Tran Bien Ward, around 40 teams, including 15 teams from schools and 25 teams representing neighborhoods, departments, and mass organizations, are expected to take part, while Ho Nai Ward will host similar events over two days, on February 9 and 10.

In addition to competitions for wrapping Chung cakes and Tet cakes, arranging five‑fruit trays and decorating ancestral altars, the Ho Nai Ward festival scheduled to be held on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month will include campfire activities, folk games and cultural storytelling on the origins of the Chung cakes and Tet cakes and the meaning of the Lunar New Year. Especially, the Ho Nai Ward will also hold incense-offering and cake-offering ceremonies at the 113 Soldiers’ Memorial and distribute cakes and gifts to policy beneficiary families and disadvantaged households, underscoring a spirit of community support ahead of the holiday.

To mark the Spring in the Lunar New Year of the Horse, Dong Xoai Ward will stage a street food and cultural festival on February 12 (the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month) combined with the opening of the Spring Flower Festival for the Year of the Horse  along Phan Chu Trinh Street in the Tien Thanh 1 neighborhood. The event is expected to feature 26 stalls showcasing local cuisine and cultural displays.

Nguyen Thi Bich Thuan, Vice Chairwoman of the Dong Xoai Ward People’s Committee, said the festival is designed not only to showcase Vietnam’s rich regional and ethnic cultural and culinary heritage - including that of communities living in Dong Xoai - but also to strengthen national pride and encourage the preservation of traditional cultural values. She added that the participating units are expected to strictly observe environmental hygiene and food safety standards, and to take full responsibility for keeping their exhibition areas clean and well maintained throughout the event.

The 11th Ong Pagoda Festival (That Phu Ancient Temple) will be held from February 25 to March 1, 2026, in Tran Bien Ward, remaining a key cultural destination for both the ethnic Chinese and Vietnamese communities in Dong Nai. Huynh Huu Nghia, head of the temple’s management board, noted that the annual event aims to safeguard and promote the nationally recognised intangible cultural heritage value while providing a shared space for religious and cultural practices. The festival also helps strengthen community ties and supports efforts for culture-based development associated with sustainable tourism in the area.

Ensuring a safe and orderly festival season

To ensure a safe and orderly festive season during the 2026 Lunar New Year, authorities in Nha Bich Communal People’s Committee has assigned the Department of Culture and Society to strengthen state management responsibilities and proactively monitor activities of art performances, especially circus and magic shows held in public areas, open spaces, temporary stages, and crowded entertainment spots.  Local authorities are committed to preventing lapses in management that could disrupt public order and negatively impact the cultural life and daily activities of residents. The communal police will coordinate regular and surprise inspections to promptly detect, prevent, and strictly deal with any violations.

During the 2026 spring festival season, Dong Nai Province will also host a range of distinctive festivals of its ethnic communities. Highlights include the Long Tong (field-going) festival in Thanh Son Commune, the Chol Chnam Thmay New Year of the Khmer people, and the Hung Kings’ death anniversary festival at temples in Tam Hiep, Phu Rieng and Trang Bom. Each festival reflects a distinct cultural features, contributing to the rich yet unified cultural tapestry of Dong Nai’s multi-ethnic community.

The management and protection of heritage sites and the organization of festivals in 2026 are being given special attention by the sector of culture, sports and tourism. Vu Thanh Ngu, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and

Tourism, has issued a directive urging units and localities to strictly comply with legal regulations when staging the festivals and take concrete measures to ensure public order, traffic safety, fire prevention and environmental hygiene. Festival rituals must be conducted with due solemnity, while preventing superstitious practices or the misuse of cultural activities to disseminate harmful content that could undermine national traditions and social values.

The Department has further called on the related units and localities to clearly define areas for commercial activities to avoid encroachment on heritage sites. Any donation boxes must be installed in approved locations, while the collection and use of donations are required to be conducted in a transparent manner and in line with existing regulations.

With strengthened and coordinated state oversight, festivals across the province demonstrate not only the preservation of traditional cultural values but also the adaptation to contemporary life to enhance their appeal. The 2026 Spring Festival season also promises to contribute to promoting Dong Nai’s cultural heritage, attracting visitors and fostering local socio-economic development.

By Cam Thanh  – Translated by Tam Binh, Thu Ha