Muong Lo Festival 2026 opens with grand Xoe dance performance

The opening ceremony was attended by Pham Thi Thanh Tra, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Deputy Prime Minister; representatives of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee and ministries and agencies; and the Ambassadors of Belarus, Laos and India to Viet Nam, among others.

In his opening remarks, Chairman of the Lao Cai provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Tuan Anh said the province regards culture as the spiritual foundation, an endogenous resource and a driving force for sustainable development, with people at the centre of cultural creation, preservation and enjoyment.

The province is committed to preserving cultural heritage in tandem with tourism development, supporting artisans, passing traditions on to younger generations, creating livelihoods and improving people’s living standards. It hopes Muong Lo’s distinctive cultural values will become a lasting tourism attraction, bringing visitors closer to local hamlets and traditional products while fostering community pride and connecting generations.

Running from October 15 to 21, this annual provincial-level festival marks the fifth anniversary of UNESCO’s inscription of the art of Xoe dance by the Thai people on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It also highlights achievements in preserving and promoting the heritage, celebrates the cultural identities of ethnic communities in the Northwest, and promotes Lao Cai’s destinations and tourism products.

The opening art programme, entitled “Thai Xoe A Circle of Love”, combined traditional cultural elements with contemporary artistic expression. Its highlight was the mass dance involving 2,026 participants, symbolising community solidarity and the enduring vitality of Xoe dance heritage.

Other activities include a street parade, the 2026 Northwest Tourism Fair, an OCOP product promotion and networking space, a Northwest cultural exhibition, and a photo exhibition showcasing tourism in the region and Lao Cai.

Localities across the province have also staged parallel events, including the Lao Cai Shan Tuyet Tea Festival 2026, the “Flying over the Golden Season” paragliding event in Tu Le commune, community-based tourism experiences, traditional sports, folk festivals, agricultural tours and cultural activities.