Captivating year-end festivals in Dong Nai

In the final months of 2026, Dong Nai is hosting numerous traditional festivals associated with historical relics, folk beliefs, and the cultural life of its diverse ethnic communities.

Each festival provides an opportunity for residents to gather, preserve traditional customs, and pass down cultural values to younger generations, helping unlock the potential of cultural heritage, promote tourism, and showcase Dong Nai's cultural identity in a new era.

A vibrant lineup of festivals

In late October 2026, large numbers of residents and visitors are taking part in the Ky Yen Festival at Ong Da Shrine, held at the Hang Gon Megalithic Tomb, a special national archaeological relic in Hang Gon Ward. The festival's main rituals include a procession bringing Ong Da from the tomb chamber to the shrine, a worship ceremony, and a procession returning Ong Da to the tomb chamber. Alongside the ceremonies, Hang Gon Ward organized a range of cultural activities, including photo exhibitions, a "Ring the Golden Bell" competition, cultural and artistic exchanges, don ca tai tu (southern amateur traditional music) performances, cai luong (reformed opera) performances, and folk games. These activities created a festive atmosphere and attracted widespread public participation.

The Ky Yen Festival at Ong Da Shrine at the Hang Gon Megalithic Tomb relic site attracts large numbers of residents and visitors.

According to historical records, following the excavation of the Hang Gon Megalithic Tomb in 1927, local residents built a small shrine at the base of a cluster fig tree near the tomb chamber for worship. A shrine was later built on the site of the original structure, becoming a place of worship for the local community. Ong Da Shrine now stands about 10 meters from the relic site, having been relocated and renovated to provide a more spacious and dignified setting.

Pham Minh Chau, Head of the Ritual Board of Ong Da Shrine at the Hang Gon Megalithic Tomb, said, "The Ky Yen Festival is held annually to pray for national peace and prosperity, as well as peaceful and harmonious lives for local residents. It also provides an opportunity to preserve traditional customs and help younger generations understand and practice rituals passed down through generations within the community."

In Tran Bien Ward, the Ky Yen Festival at Tan Lan Communal House is another important cultural and spiritual event eagerly anticipated by residents and visitors from both within and outside the city. Held annually on the 23rd and 24th days of the 10th lunar month, the festival features solemn traditional rituals, including cung nhap dan, thinh sac (a rite to receive the royal decree), thinh sanh, tien yet, and xay chau dai boi (a ceremonial drumming and classical opera rite). These rituals express aspirations for peace and favorable weather. Meanwhile, festive activities, including lion-unicorn-dragon dance performances, create a lively atmosphere and bring the festival closer to community life.

According to Lam Van Lang, Head of the Ritual Board of Tan Lan Communal House, the relic is dedicated to Lord Tran Thuong Xuyen, who made significant contributions to land reclamation and commercial development in the Dong Nai–Gia Dinh region. To commemorate his contributions, local residents established a shrine more than 200 years ago. The site was recognized as a national relic in 1991. Following several relocations and restorations, it has acquired its present spacious and dignified appearance.

In addition to festivals associated with communal houses, temples, and shrines, Dong Nai is hosting numerous activities highlighting the distinctive cultural identities of its ethnic communities in the final months of 2026. Notable events include the Ok Om Bok Festival of the Khmer community in Long Khanh Ward, held on the 14th and 15th days of the 10th lunar month, and the worship ceremony of the Chinese community at Ba Quan Am Shrine in Xuan Lap Ward during the final lunar month. Each celebration features distinctive rituals and customs, reflecting the spiritual life and cultural exchanges among ethnic communities in Dong Nai.

Expanding spaces for festival experiences

With numerous festivals held annually, Dong Nai's cultural sector has strengthened festival management to ensure that events are held in a solemn, safe and cost-conscious manner while preserving their traditional cultural identity. In recent years, alongside in-person festival celebrations, recording and livestreaming festivals and sharing festival-related materials on platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok have given residents and tourists from afar more opportunities to learn about local customs, rituals and cultural life.

The Ky Yen Festival at Tan Lan Communal House in Tran Bien Ward is an attractive cultural event for residents and tourists.

The Dong Nai Museum has documented festivals, traditional crafts, folk knowledge and ethnic cultures through nearly 100 films. The city's 11 entries on the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, including six festivals, have been digitized in the form of documentary films and photographs. In addition, five dossiers have been updated in the Department of Cultural Heritage's Intangible Cultural Heritage Management Information System. These materials are valuable resources for heritage preservation and research, as well as for introducing heritage to the public, particularly younger generations.

Le Thi Ngoc Loan, Member of the Dong Nai City Party Committee and Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said, "Dong Nai possesses rich cultural resources shaped by a long history and cultural exchanges among diverse ethnic communities. With approximately 421,000 ethnic minority residents, accounting for nearly 9.4% of the population and representing 37 ethnic groups, the city preserves distinctive cultural values reflected in festivals, beliefs, gong music, traditional crafts, folk knowledge, and social practices. These constitute important resources for preserving cultural identity while expanding opportunities for residents and visitors to experience cultural activities."

"Heritage can remain truly vibrant only when communities continue to practice and pass it down from generation to generation. Therefore, alongside state investment, greater attention must be given to supporting artisans, maintaining heritage transmission activities, strengthening heritage education, and creating opportunities for residents to participate in cultural and tourism activities associated with festivals. Mobilizing appropriate social resources also contributes to maximizing heritage values, thereby promoting Dong Nai's image and expanding its reach," emphasized Loan.

Dong Nai hosts more than 350 festivals annually, most of which are associated with places of worship and the cultural life of ethnic communities. Festivals such as Sayangva and Sayangbri of the Cho Ro people; the New Rice Celebration and Dua Tpeng of the S’tieng people; Chol Chnam Thmay and Sen Dolta of the Khmer people; Ramadan and Haji of the Cham people; and Long Tong of the Tay and Nung people provide spaces for practicing living heritage, where traditional customs, languages, musical instruments, folk songs, folk dances, and traditional knowledge continue to be passed down through generations.

By Cam Thanh – Translated by Minh Hong, Minho