On the evening of January 2nd, at the Mechanical Boat Wharf in Muong Lay ward, the opening ceremony of the 11th Swallowtail Boat Racing Festival, combined with cultural, sports, and tourism activities in 2026, was held with the theme "Returning to the Da Giang River".

Delegates attended the opening ceremony.

Attending the event were comrades: Le Thanh Do, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People’s Council; Le Van Luong, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee; Ta Thi Yen, Deputy Head of the National Assembly Delegates Affairs Committee; members of the Provincial Party Standing Committee; and representatives of several departments, sectors, and localities.

The Organizing Committee and delegates presented commemorative flags to participating delegations.

The 11th Muong Lay Ward Swallow-Tail Boat Racing Festival this year features a rich and diverse series of activities, harmoniously combining sports, culture, and experiential tourism. In addition to the main event of swallow-tail boat racing, the festival includes various recreational water sports such as kayaking, jet skiing, paragliding, and traditional folk games, contributing to a vibrant and exciting atmosphere that attracts large numbers of local residents and visitors to watch and cheer. At the same time, cultural activities are given special emphasis, notably the Thai ethnic cultural space at the Co Khi Boat Wharf area and the Mong ethnic cultural space in Phi Hai village, along with a traditional cuisine competition introducing local specialty dishes rich in regional identity.

The opening stage of the 11th Muong Lay Ward Swallow-Tail Boat Racing Festival shone brilliantly, reflected on the Da River.

In addition, the festival has gradually expanded experiential activities associated with tourism development, such as the establishment of the Muong Lay night market; camping activities at the Nam Can stream waterwheel area; community-based tourism and reservoir tourism on the Da River; and spiritual tourism.

A highlight of this year’s festival was the event establishing a Vietnam record titled “The Dance of Unity by the Da River,” the largest community-connected mass performance in Vietnam in terms of number of participants. In addition, for the first time, the festival organized the Green Muong Lay Cycling Race conquering Gio Pass (Clavo Pass), contributing to the diversification of tourism products and opening new directions for the development of sports tourism and experiential tourism.

A representative of the Vietnam Records Organization presented the certificate recognizing the record to the leadership representative of Muong Lay Ward.

At the opening ceremony, the Vietnam Records Organization announced its decision and awarded the certificate recognizing the Vietnam record for “The Dance of Unity by the Da River,” the community mass performance by the Da River with the largest number of participants in Vietnam.

Immediately after the ceremonial part, delegates, local residents, and tourists enjoyed the artistic program “Returning to the Da River.” The program opened with the festival drum performance “Echoes of the Da River,” creating a sacred and lively atmosphere along the river. Special singing and dancing performances such as “An Invitation to the Northwest,” “Red Blossom,” “Fragrance and Colors of the Highlands,” “The Love Story of the Sao Sen Maiden,” “Spring in the Northwest,” and “Muong Lay – The Shining Pearl of the Future” vividly recreated the natural beauty, people, and cultural identity of the ethnic groups in the Northwest region.

A performance in the artistic program “Returning to the Da River.”

The program concluded with a grand unity xoe dance featuring the participation of a large number of mass performers, expressing the spirit of community solidarity and the aspiration for a peaceful and developing Muong Lay, leaving a deep impression on local people and visitors alike./.

Source: baodienbienphu.vn