The 2026 Co Le Pagoda Traditional Festival will take place from October 21 to 25, 2026 (the 12th to 16th days of the ninth lunar month of the Year of the Horse, Bính Ngọ), at the Co Le Pagoda Special National Monument in Co Le Commune, Ninh Binh Province, and at several other locations in the area. With many traditional rituals and a rich program of cultural, artistic, and sporting activities and folk games, the festival is an occasion for local people and visitors to honor the merits of Saint Patriarch Nguyen Minh Khong, while also helping to preserve and promote the area’s traditional cultural heritage.
The Co Le Pagoda Festival is a cultural and spiritual activity of great importance in the spiritual life of local people. It expresses reverence and gratitude toward Saint Patriarch Nguyen Minh Khong and the ancestors who rendered service to their homeland and country. It is also an occasion for the community to safeguard and pass on traditional customs and rituals, helping to raise awareness of protecting and promoting the historical, cultural, and architectural and artistic value of the monument.
According to the plan, on October 21 there will be a procession of the Patriarch’s palanquin from the clan gates (cửa họ) to the Pagoda, carried out according to traditional rites. October 22 is the main festival day, with the opening ceremony scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. at Lien Hoa Square, Co Le Pagoda, along with traditional rituals and cultural, artistic, and sporting activities. From October 22 to 25, rituals and festival activities will continue, and on October 25 the closing rituals of the festival will be held in accordance with custom.
The ceremonial part is conducted solemnly and reverently, ensuring that traditional rites are preserved. Highlights include the processions of the palanquins of the Saint Patriarch, the Holy Mother, the Boat, and the Rice, as well as the palanquins of the clan gates; the incense offering ceremony praying for national peace and prosperity; the Buddhist offering sessions and the Saint worship rites; and other traditional spiritual rituals.
Alongside the rituals, the festival part is expected to feature a wide variety of activities, such as puppet shows, hầu đồng (spirit medium) singing, amateur performances, Chinese chess tournaments, a quan họ folk song program, lion and dragon dances, a women’s air volleyball friendly match, and folk games. Food stalls and OCOP product displays are also planned in the yard of the commune Cultural House, introducing local specialties and creating a space for cultural exchange and experiences for residents and visitors. Notably, the traditional Trải boat-racing (swimming) contest on the Co Le - Cat Chu River is expected to take place from October 22 to 25, continuing a cultural tradition of the community handed down through generations.
By organizing the 2026 Co Le Pagoda Traditional Festival, the locality continues to affirm its responsibility for preserving and promoting the value of the Co Le Pagoda Special National Monument, while promoting the image of the land, people, and cultural traditions of Ninh Binh to a wide audience of visitors. It is also an opportunity to link heritage preservation with the development of cultural and spiritual tourism, adding appeal to the province’s destinations on the journey of discovering this land of heritage.