Opening ceremony of 11th Ong Pagoda Festival 2026

On the evening of February 26 (the 10th day of the first lunar month), the Management Board of That Phu Ancient Temple in Tran Bien ward, Dong Nai province, held the opening ceremony of the 11th Ong Pagoda Festival 2026.

Thai Bao, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Head of the Provincial Party Committee’s Organization Commission, presents a congratulatory flower arrangement on behalf of the Provincial Party Committee, People’s Council, People’s Committee, and the VFF Committee of Dong Nai Province to the festival’s Organizing Board. Photo: My Ny

The ceremony was attended by Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee (PPC) and Head of the PPC’s Organization Commission Thai Bao; Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and Chairman of the PPC’s Inspection Commission Tran Trung Nhan; Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committee Ha Anh Dung; along with representatives of provincial departments, boards, sectors, local authorities, and a large number of residents in Tran Bien ward.

During the program, delegates offered incense to officially open the festival, contributed to the Fund for the Poor, and enjoyed an excerpt from the Cai Luong (reformed opera) performance Nhan Nghia Thien Thu (tentative translation: Eternal Benevolence and Righteousness) along with other artistic performances staged by the Dong Nai Art Theater. All funds raised throughout the festival will be used to support disadvantaged people across the province.

Tran Trung Nhan, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and Chairman of the Provincial Party Committee’s Inspection Commission, together with delegates, donates to the Fund for the Poor at the opening ceremony. Photo: My Ny

Ong Pagoda, built in 1684, has stood for 342 years. The Ong Pagoda Festival was recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2023. The annual festival aims to preserve and promote cultural heritage values, create a spiritual and religious cultural space that strengthens ties between the Vietnamese and Chinese communities, and gradually develop a distinctive tourism product that attracts visitors from within and outside the province.

Delegates and residents watch the Cai Luong excerpt “Nhan Nghia Thien Thu” performed by the Dong Nai Art Theater. Photo: My Ny

This year’s Ong Pagoda Festival takes place from February 25 to March 1 (the 8th to the 13th day of the first lunar month), featuring rituals such as the deity procession by land, the ceremony worshipping Quan Thanh De Quan (Lord Guan), and the release of lucky balloons into the sky and floating flower lanterns on the Dong Nai River. The festival also includes cultural and sports activities such as theatrical reenactments, Don Ca Tai Tu (Southern amateur music), lion-dragon dances, martial arts demonstrations, Vietnamese-Chinese calligraphy exchanges, and folk games.

On this occasion, the Management Board of That Phu Ancient Temple presented 55 tons of rice to VFF committees of localities across the province to support poor households in 2026.

* Earlier, on the morning of February 26, at Phung Son Tu Shrine in Tran Bien ward, the Procession of Lord Guan and Return Ceremony (Ong Pagoda) was held, drawing a large number of residents and visitors.

Functional forces regulate vehicles along Cach Mang Thang Tam street to ensure safety for the Deity Procession. Photo: Le Duy

From 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., the ceremony to invite and escort the sacred statues and tablets of Lord Guan and other deities worshipped at local spiritual sites was solemnly conducted, accompanied by lion–dragon dances, martial arts performances, and traditional music. At 8 a.m., the procession departed from Phung Son Tu Shrine, moving along Cach Mang Thang Tam, Nguyen Trai, Vo Tanh, and Nguyen Van Tri streets before returning to Phung Son Tu Shrine and Ong Pagoda.

As the procession moved through many central streets during the morning peak hour, traffic volume increased significantly. Functional forces were deployed at key intersections to regulate traffic and guide residents safely, preventing congestion. Thanks to proactive traffic management and public compliance, the Ong Pagoda Festival procession took place safely, orderly, and smoothly.

By My Ny, Le Duy - Translated by Minh Hong, Thu Ha