Vietnam — Events
Saigon Cyclo Challenge
March 1, 2012 - March 31, 2012
An annual event where companies from across Ho Chi Minh City sponsor teams to race cyclos in order to raise money for the Saigon Children’s Charity which supports disadvantaged children.
Thay Pagoda Festival
April 1, 2012 - April 30, 2012
Held in the picturesque location of Thay Pagoada in the shadows of the Sai Son Mountain in Quoc Oai, this annual event pays homage to Tu Dao Hanh. Legend has it that Tu Dao Hanh was a Buddhist monk and sorcerer who was the king of the region and created the Vietnamese water puppet show. The celebrations begin by worshipping Buddha which is followed by games and a water puppet show in front of the Thuy Dinh or Temple. Visitors to the festival also usually take a hiking trip through the picturesque countryside which characterizes the region.
International Circus Festival
August 1, 2012 - August 31, 2012
Jugglers, trapeze artists, animal acts and clowns from around the country and from destinations such as Cuba, China, Russia, Ukraine, Mongolia, Laos and Cambodia travel to Hanoi to entertain and go up against each other in a competition judged by an eminent panel of international artistes.
International Circus Festival
August 6, 2012 - August 11, 2012
Jugglers, trapeze artists, animal acts and clowns from around the country and from destinations such as Cuba, China, Russia, Ukraine, Mongolia, Laos and Cambodia travel to Hanoi to entertain and go up against each other in a competition judged by an eminent panel of international artistes.
National Day
September 2, 2012
This date celebrates two important anniversaries, the Declaration of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945 and the death of Ho Chi Minh. The celebrations in Hanoi, including a fireworks display, take place in Ba Dinh Square in front of Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, and it seems that the whole of Hanoi takes to the streets, particularly around Hoan Kiem Lake.
National Day
September 2, 2012
This date celebrates two important anniversaries, the Declaration of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945 and the death of Ho Chi Minh. The celebrations in Hanoi, including a fireworks display, take place in Ba Dinh Square in front of Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, and it seems that the whole of Hanoi takes to the streets, particularly around Hoan Kiem Lake.
Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival
September 6, 2012
An important social occasion for the villages of the region, the preparations for the annual Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival begin months before when the competing buffalos are selected and then methodically trained up for the big event. Excitement and anticipation builds to fever pitch and explodes in a riot of noise and color on the day of the festival. The chosen bulls are adorned in red cloth and are led to the bull ring followed by a procession of people playing musical instruments and beating out a rhythm on drums.
