Tens of thousands of people flock to Long Tong Festival in Tuyen Quang

Celebrated annually between the 8th day of the Lunar New Year, the festival is a religious ritual dedicated to the god of agriculture to receive his blessing for verdant crops and prosperity for villagers throughout the year.

The annual event begins with a parade of nine trays of local specialties as an offering to gods to thank them for good crops and hopes for a prosperous and peaceful time ahead in the New Year.

It was followed by a lion dance, performed by youngsters, a Tich Dien (ploughing) ceremony, and folk games such as tug of war, stick pushing, and cloth ball throwing.

Ritual of offering to gods to thank them for good crops at the Long Tong Festival.

The Tay ethnic group in Tuyen Quang Province has more than 215,000 people, accounting for nearly 27% of the province's population.

Long Tong is a typical festival of the Tay people in Tuyen Quang Province, recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage and has become a unique tourist product during each Tet and Spring season.