Dak Lak (VNA) – The 9th Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival concluded on March 13 after five days of vibrant activities in Buon Ma Thuot city, the Central Highlands of Dak Lak.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Nguyen Thien Van, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said the festival celebrated Vietnamese coffee, particularly the Buon Ma Thuot Coffee brand and its geographical indication, while promoting high-quality and specialty coffee to global markets and attracting investment and trade.
This year’s festival, themed “Buon Ma Thuot – Coffee City,” featured 17 official activities alongside various supporting events across the province. Notably, the festival coincided with the 50th anniversary of Buon Ma Thuot’s victory and the liberation of Dak Lak province (March 10, 1975 – 2025). The event attracted around 250,000 visitors, including 1,800 international guests, leaving a lasting impression with its vibrant cultural programmes rich in traditional identity.
The festival saw strong participation from coffee exporters, importers, experts, and tourists. Key events included a coffee and OCOP (One Commune, One Product) exhibition featuring 180 organisations with 435 booths, including 12 run by six foreign exhibitors. An international trade conference gathered over 730 delegates to explore opportunities and strategies for promoting sustainable coffee development and enhancing the value of Vietnamese coffee. A free coffee day received enthusiastic support from 430 cafes and businesses offering complimentary services.
Cultural activities were a major highlight, offering unique experiences for visitors, including a dynamic light festival with a captivating drone show, a street festival featuring a 360-degree stage, and traditional local celebrations like the Buon Don Elephant Festival and the Lak district boat race.
In a significant cultural milestone, the “Knowledge of Coffee Cultivation and Processing in Dak Lak” was recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. This acknowledgment honours the region’s deep-rooted tradition and expertise in coffee farming and production, a source of pride for local farmers and the province’s coffee industry.
During the festival, the groundbreaking of Trung Nguyen Legend’s coffee plant—the largest in Southeast Asia—further cemented Dak Lak’s status as Vietnam’s coffee capital and brought Buon Ma Thuot closer to its ambition of becoming the “World’s Coffee City.”
On this occasion, the Dak Lak provincial People’s Committee awarded certificates of merit to 26 organisations and seven individuals for their outstanding contributions to the 9th Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival./.
