Fireworks Festival in Quang Uyen Town

On March 1 (February 2 of the lunar calendar), the 2025 Fireworks Competition Festival will take place in Quang Uyen town (Quang Hoa).

Attending the event were comrades: Nong Thanh Tung, member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council; Trinh Truong Huy, member of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; leaders of a number of departments, branches, sectors, armed forces of the province, districts, cities, and Quang Hoa district.

Provincial leaders presented flowers to congratulate the opening ceremony of the fireworks festival in Quang Uyen town (Quang Hoa).

This is a festival recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2020. It is the biggest festival of the year for the people of Quang Hoa district associated with the historical and spiritual elements of Bach Linh temple. The temple was built during the Ly dynasty at the foot of Coc Bo mountain, and was completely rebuilt during the Nguyen dynasty according to Nguyen dynasty architecture. In front of the gate are the three-door gate, the front yard, the back hall and the harem, horizontal lacquered boards and parallel sentences. On the gate are engraved 3 words "Bach Linh temple", with a relief of a winding dragon, built with bricks (during the Mac dynasty), with a carving of a dragon holding a pearl, next to it are phoenixes and dragons gathering.

The Fireworks Festival restores local traditions, worshiping Nung Tri Cao, a Cao Bang general in the 11th century who defeated the Song army and guarded the border. After defeating the Song invaders and protecting the northern border of Dai Viet under the Ly dynasty in the 11th century, in the localities he passed through, Nung Tri Cao organized a feast for his troops to celebrate his victory. When he arrived in Quang Nguyen (present-day Quang Hoa district) on the occasion of the cannon-head competition festival, during the feast, Nung Tri Cao chose a flat piece of land and mobilized young men in the area to divide into many teams to compete for the cannon head. The winning team would have luck and fortune all year round.

The festival takes place over 3 days (from January 30 to February 2 of the lunar calendar) and includes 2 parts: The opening ceremony of the dragon's eyes at Coc Chu water mine, Quang Uyen town and the military celebration at Nung Tri Cao Temple, with the wish that the dragon will bring favorable weather, good crops, and prosperity to the people. The procession includes a palanquin carrying Uncle Ho's photo, the palanquin of Tho Cong, a fireworks palanquin, a roasted pig palanquin (a reward for the winning team in the cannon-capturing game); the Sacrificial ceremony at Bach Linh Temple. After that, the dragon is carried through the streets and agencies in the town area to celebrate the festival.

The festival is organized with an art program, many unique folk games and sports competitions (pickleball, grass-swinging, chess, throwing shuttlecocks, blindfolded duck catching); folk song exchanges between folk song clubs of communes and towns; display of five-color raspberries, pig roasting competition - a typical dish, indispensable in the firecracker competition festival. Communes, towns and hamlets organize booths to display local agricultural products and OCOP products. Visitors to the festival can visit the exhibition of beautiful paintings and photos of "Cao Bang Mountains and Rivers".

Right after the opening drum beat, delegates and a large number of visitors from all over the country enjoyed many performances praising the Party, Uncle Ho, the love for the homeland and country; admiring the unique, eye-catching, majestic dragon and unicorn dances performed by the district's warriors, carrying the wish that flying dragons would bring good things to life.

The highlight, which is also a unique feature of the cannon competition festival, is the cannon competition that took place on the afternoon of March 1. This year's festival has 19 teams from communes and towns in the district with 57 agile and strong warriors competing for a jade bracelet decorated with colorful tassels, symbolizing luck, happiness, and success. After the exciting and fierce cannon competition; Phi Hai commune team won the cannon competition at the 2025 festival.

Provincial leaders visit Ocoop booth of Quang Hoa district — Provincial leaders visited the OCOP booth of Quang Hoa district.

The Cannon Shooting Competition is one of the oldest and most traditional festivals of the district, an occasion for people of all ethnic groups in the district and visitors from all over to come to the festival, enjoy the spring, pray for a peaceful and joyful year, encourage everyone to compete in studying, working and producing, contributing to creating motivation for the Party Committee, government and people of all ethnic groups in the area to successfully carry out political, economic and social tasks and goals.