Lao Cai (VNA) – The Muong Lo Culture and Tourism Festival 2026, themed “The Essence of Thai Xoe – Colours of the Northwest,” will open on October 16, featuring a mass Xoe dance performed by 2,026 Thai ethnic minority people.
Speaking at a press conference on October 6, Vice Chairwoman of the provincial People’s Committee Vu Thi Hien Hanh said this year’s festival coincides with the 5th anniversary of Thai Xoe’s inscription on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The festival will provide an opportunity to review achievements in preserving and promoting the values of Thai Xoe, honour the cultural identities of ethnic groups in the Northwestern region, and promote the land and people of Lao Cai. It will also showcase local tourism products and destinations and strengthen linkages for tourism development, she added.
The highlight will be the opening ceremony at 20:00 on October 16 at Nghia Lo ward stadium, featuring an art programme entitled “Thai Xoe – A Complete Circle of Love”.
Combining traditional cultural materials with modern artistic language, the programme will recreate the distinctive cultural space of the Northwest. It will also feature a mass Xoe dance involving 2,026 participants, highlighting community solidarity and the enduring vitality of Thai Xoe heritage.
A range of activities will be held as part of the festival, including a street parade from 17:30 to 19:00 on October 16 along Dien Bien and Nguyen Quang Bich streets to Nghia Lo ward stadium. The parade will involve about 400 participants divided into eight groups.
Other activities include the Northwest Tourism Fair 2026, showcasing OCOP products, and a photo exhibition on northwest tourism, both running from October 15 to 21.
Localities across the province will stage parallel events, including community-based tourism experiences, traditional sports, folk festivals, agricultural tours and cultural activities.
The programme also includes the Lao Cai Shan Tuyet Tea Festival 2026 and the “Flying over the Golden Season” paragliding event in Tu Le commune.
The Muong Lo Culture and Tourism Festival 2026 is expected to help preserve and promote the traditional cultural values of local ethnic communities, while further affirming Muong Lo as a distinctive cultural destination in the Northwest and enhancing the appeal of Lao Cai on Vietnam’s tourism map./.
