The Ooc Om Boc Festival, an annual festival of ethnic Khmer people in the Mekong Delta, opened at Ho Nuoc Ngot Cultural Park in Soc Trang Province on October 28. This year’s event was organized more imposingly than ever with government support of VND1.3 billion.

The festival included a fair on trade and tourism with 430 booths from 180 units which displayed industrial equipment, fine art works, daily necessities, garments, cosmetic products and agricultural products and specialties of the Mekong Delta, the South and the Central Highlands. The fair also had some activities such as ethnic music and dance shows, workshops on agricultural development and a food festival.

During the festival, there were an artistic photo exhibition, a photo exhibition on Vietnam’s ethnic groups and economic achievements at Giai Phong Park, sports, food and artistic performances at the Soc Trang Provincial Museum and at Giai Phong Park.

On November 1 and 2, ten female groups and 30 male groups joined the ghe ngo (a boat made from timber in the shape of a nagar snake, the sacred object of the Khmer people) race on the Maspero River.

The race was the highlight of the festival. Young Khmer men and women moved gently in harmony with the sounds of gongs and waves. As the first boat crossed the finish line, the crowds on both riverbanks cheered loudly and enthusiastically for their victory.