Soc Trang organizes 1st “Ngo” boat race festival of Khmer people in the Mekong Delta

(Cinet)- The first “Ngo” boat race festival of Khmer people in the Mekong Delta region will take place on November 14-17 in Soc Trang. The race is part of a traditional festival of Khmer people in the province on every 15th day of the 10th lunar month.

Press seminar introducing the Khmer Mekong boat race festival 2013 was organized in HCM City on October 29.

This is the traditional festival of Khmer people in Soc Trang province held on the fifteenth day of the tenth lunar month every year. This year, it has been upgraded by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to a regional-scale festival.

The festival is expected to attract around 80 boat race teams from Mekong Delta provinces to compete in two categories: 1,200 metres and 1,000 metres. It will also features a wide range of activities such as trade fairs, exhibitions, traditional food festival of the Khmer, Kinh and Chinese people, art performances and ethnic costume competitions among others.

The organizer expects the festival will help preserve the traditional cultural identity of Khmer people, raise public awareness of the need to preserve the cultural heritage of the region, and promote the province's tourism potential as well.