Giong Festival

This festival captures the patriotic ardor of the Vietnamese people and their love for freedom, and is a celebration of their national heroes. Celebrated annually in the Phu Dong Village, Gia Lam District in Hanoi, the widely popular festival is held on the ninth day of the fourth month of the lunar calendar and commemorates the hero of the village, saint Giong who saved the village by defeating the An invaders. One of the predominant attractions of the Giong Festival is the elaborate procession that starts from the Mother Temple and heads towards Thuong Temple and ends with a religious service. Combining the Vietnamese affection for their national heroes with an earnest desire to preserve their cultural heritage, the festival is a unique experience for visitors and provides a true insight into the nationalistic nature of the Vietnamese people.