First organised in 2013 in Soc Trang City, the Ghe Ngo boat race festival has become a regular event showcasing Khmer culture in the Mekong River Delta. The event will take place between the 22nd and 27th of November, and is expected to attract thousands of visitors. Let’s find out what the locals have been preparing for this special event in the following report.
The Sóc Vồ Pagoda boat race team in Soc Trang City has 150 members this year. The team has been spending a lot of time training. Eating and practising, they work hard together to prepare for the biggest boat festival of the region.
55 teams have registered including both from Soc Trang and other provinces. Among them, 43 are from Soc Trang and 12 are from Hau Giang, Tra Vinh, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau, and Kien Giang. The male group will compete over 1,200 metres while the female race will be run over a kilometre.
Apart from the boat race, the festival will also include folk games such as the “Ok om bok” moon worship ceremony festival and “Lôi Protip” festival which releases flower lights on the Maspero River. These are the traditional customs celebrated among southern Khmer people. Soc Trang’s authorities are ensuring that their advance preparations will mean a successful festival.
