The provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism proposed the provincial People’s Committee revive four traditional festivals, namely Gau Tao Festival in Pa Co commune (Mai Chau district), Dinh Ngoi Festival in Su Ngoi commune (Hoa Binh city), Cau Muong Festival in Muong Chieng commune (Da Bac district), and Muong Dong Festival in Vinh Dong commune (Kim Boi district).

According to the culture department, festivals were organised in a larger scale and under strict monitoring of managerial agencies in 2017. They combined traditional rituals and folk culture with sports and cultural activities, attracting a great number of local residents. The organisation of festivals has helped preserve traditional cultural values of ethnic groups and meet people’s spiritual demand.

However, there remain shortcomings in the organisation work as the festivals still had yet to be promoted widely. While local residents haven’t been played an active role in festivals, infrastructure at festival venues failed to meet the real demand. Organisers haven’t succeeded in encouraging private support for festivals as well.

Last year, the culture department’s inspectorate conducted 15 inspection trips to festivals. They warned festival organisers about ensuring security and order, environmental hygiene, fire prevention, and superstitious activities.

It is a fact that the number of festivals has been on the rise. Deputy Director of the culture department Luu Huy Linh said people tend to revive festivals to satisfy their spiritual demand.

To improve festival organisation, bring into play their fine traditions and address shortcomings, the department provided advice to the provincial People’s Committee on the management of festivities in 2018, he noted.

He elaborated that Hoa Binh will press on with implementing relevant directions of the Party Secretariat and the Government, especially the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s Circular 15, dated December 22, 2015, on the organisation, management and planning of festivals.

Inter-sectoral inspection teams are carrying out inspections from January 2 to March 24. They will look into the adherence to legal regulations by accommodation establishments and providers of tourism, parking and transport services. Admission collection and environmental hygiene at festivals will also be examined. Meanwhile, it is necessary to step up communications to improve festival goers’ awareness, Linh added./.

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