Mong Cai opens Tra Co Communal House festival 2025

On June 25 (or the first day of the sixth lunar month), the opening ceremony of the Tra Co Communal House Festival was officially held in Mong Cai city. This is a traditional celebration that vividly embodies the cultural identity of Vietnam’s northeastern coastal region.

Tra Co Communal House is a distinctive architectural masterpiece that reflects the history of land reclamation and settlement by the early residents of the Tra Co  area. In 2019, the festival was recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

In 2023, Tra Co Communal House was officially designated a Special National Relic by the Prime Minister.

The annual festival is an expression of gratitude to the founding ancestors, while fostering national pride and a strong sense of cultural preservation. It also serves as a platform to promote Mong Cai’s unique cultural values to both domestic and international audiences.

This year’s festival runs for four days, from June 25 to 28, 2025 (corresponding to the 30th day of the fifth lunar month to the 3rd day of the sixth lunar month in the Year of the Snake), featuring a diverse array of ceremonial rites and festive activities.

The ceremonial events include sacred rituals such as the sea procession to welcome the deities, the Moc Duc (bathing ceremony), offerings of fruit trays and sacred lamps, the elephant effigy procession, the Thinh sinh (summoning knowledge) ritual, enthronement ceremony, the green ledger call, the tree-raising ritual, the Thi On offering, and the floating lantern ceremony.

Meanwhile, the festival’s lively recreational segment features traditional folk games and cultural contests such as the “Elephant Pageant”, blindfolded drum beating, and painting competition, contributing to the preservation and revitalization of time-honored traditions.

Mong Cai is home to 60 cultural relics and scenic sites, including one special national relic, four national relics, twelve provincial relics, and eight national intangible cultural heritages. These invaluable legacies stand as enduring cultural milestones at the northeastern gateway of the nation.