In 2026, the traditional festival of the Keo Pagoda (Hanh Thien) Special National Monument will be held from October 19 to October 24, 2026, corresponding to the 10th to the 15th day of the ninth lunar month. The festival takes place on the occasion of the 1,010th anniversary of the birth of Saint Patriarch Duong Khong Lo, a National Preceptor of the Ly Dynasty who made great contributions to the country and its people. It is an occasion for the community to remember and honor the merits of their ancestors, while helping to preserve and promote the traditional cultural values that generations have safeguarded and handed down.

Visiting Keo Pagoda during the festival days, visitors can vividly experience the distinctive cultural atmosphere of a traditional festival of the Northern Delta. Religious rites are performed solemnly within the pagoda’s ancient grounds, evoking the history, traditions and rich spiritual life of the local community.

The highlight of the festival is the bơi trải (traditional dragon-boat-style racing) held standing up on the Ninh Co River. To the lively beat of festival drums, the trải boat teams and their strong rowers compete in spirited races, showing the solidarity, strength and skill of the local people. Besides the traditional rituals and the boat races, the festival also features many folk games and cultural and sports activities, drawing large numbers of locals and visitors to take part and experience them.

The Keo Pagoda Festival (Hanh Thien) has been recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage, affirming the distinctive historical, cultural, religious and customary values that the community has preserved through many generations. Every activity in the festival carries stories, memories and cultural values closely tied to the lives of the people of Hanh Thien.

Not only an occasion to remember Saint Patriarch Duong Khong Lo and the ancestors, the festival also helps teach today’s generation the moral principle of “When drinking water, remember its source” (gratitude to one’s roots), nurturing pride in their homeland, history and national cultural traditions. It is also an opportunity for heritage values to continue to be preserved, passed on and spread in contemporary life.

Come to Hanh Thien in festival season, and you will not only be immersed in the bustling atmosphere of the traditional festival days, but also have the chance to discover the cultural beauty, people and scenery of this tradition-rich countryside. From the ancient pagoda roofs to the Ninh Co River, from sacred rituals to festival drums and thrilling trải races, everything comes together to create a deeply meaningful journey back to one’s roots.

Location: Keo Pagoda (Hanh Thien) Special National Monument, Xuan Hong Commune, Ninh Binh Province.

Time: October 19 to October 24, 2026 (the 10th to the 15th day of the ninth lunar month).