Vietnam Events and Festivals
The Vietnamese people have a great compliment of festivals throughout the year in many different parts of the country and visitors will find themselves welcome to join in. Many festivals in Vietnam relate to religion and the defeating of past enemies and are often very colourful. The Tet Festival in January is one of the biggest events of the year, while visitors will also find the Cow Racing Festival in An Giang lots of fun.
January
 Tet Festival:celebrates the Vietnamese lunar New Year all over Vietnam. People travel home to be with their families for eating, drinking and socialising, and all towns and cities have something going on of interest to tourists.
February
 Lim Festival:celebrated in Lim village near Hanoi in the north of Vietnam, the Lim Festival features folk songs and weaving. The festival is traditionally held on the 13th day of the first lunar month and Quan Ho folk songs can be heard being sung by lien anh (male singers) and lien chi (female singers). Weavers can also be seen working, as can farmers and fishermen, while various colourful processions and ceremonies take place all around the region.
March
Perfume Pagoda Festival:My Duc, not far from Hanoi, is the stetting for the Perfume Pagoda Festival which features a pilgrimage to the My Duc Buddhist temple. Tourists are welcome to join in the pilgrimage which goes by way of a very scenic route.
Cow Racing Festival: while being a serious event, this Khmer festival in the province of An Giang is also a lot of fun for tourists. The whole event is based on the paying of respects to departed family and friends and features a pilgrimage to a pagoda and lighting of incense. These activities are then followed by cow racing.
April
Chu Dong Tu Festival: celebrates the cultural hero Saint Chu Dong Tu and his developments in promoting agriculture awareness and the importance of the crop in Vietnam. The festival goes on for three days and ends with a colourful procession.
May
 Ba Chua Xu Festival: is celebrated for four days each yearin the town of Chau Doc on Sam Mountain. There are many temples and shrines in this part of Chau Doc where numerous ceremonies are held over four days. Tourists are welcome.
Labour Day: also known as May Day, Labour Day is a countryside celebration with lots of feasting, parades, and elaborate fireworks displays.
June
Chem Temple Festival: this historical religious festival has deep significance with many Vietnamese and is when Ly Ong Trong, a supporter of the Chinese emperor when the Mongolians attacked, is worshipped.
Buddha's Birthday: is celebrated all over the Buddhist world, including in Vietnam, on the 15th day of the fourth lunar month. Ho Chi Minh City is one of the best places to be on the Buddha's Birthday to witness the love and devotion expressed on this day.
August
Honchien Temple Festival: this fun festival, when revellers don imperial period garb for a procession near the Perfume River, is an exciting event. Visitors are encouraged to join in.
September
 Kiep Bac Festival:is an important historic festival regarding the defeat of the Chinese Nguyen Mang invaders. The event is held at Keip Bac Temple in Luc Dau to honour the victorious general Saint Tran. The festival runs over five days and features an obligatory pilgrimage to the temple. St Tran’s ancestral tablet is carried aboard a golden chair while a boat race on the Luc Dau River is another highlight of the event.
October
Keo Pagoda Festival:celebrates Duong Khong Lo with much jollity, including traditional games such as duck catching, firecracker throwing, rice cooking and more.
November
 Oc Om Boc Festival: is held in South Vietnam in Soc Trang by the Kho Me people and is primarily dedicated to the moon. The main highlight of the Oc Om Boc Festival is a boat race.
Che Ngo Festival:the Khmers celebrate the eve of the new year with much feasting, boat racing, and lantern rocket lighting.
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