Hoa Ban spring flower festival due to take place in March

The annual festival gets its name from the region’s signature flower Hoa Ban or bauhinia and showcases unique cultural life in the north and northwestern region which is home to about 19 ethnic minorities, including both the Thai and Mong people.

The four-day festival will play host to range of exciting activities, including a street parade, a photo exhibition of the traditional culture of local ethnic groups, a folk singing and dancing festival, a farm produce trade fair, and various sports competitions. 

Miss Hoa Ban will also be held, attracting the participation of girls from eight localities in the northwestern region, namely Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Son La, Hoa Binh, Yen Bai, Lao Cai, Phu Tho, and Ha Giang. This competition will seek outstanding faces through traditional costume, talent, and Q&A segments, and help boost local tourism in particular. 

The cultural event was first held in 2014 on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu victory over French colonialism. The annual festival aims to preserve and promote the cultural values of Dien Bien’s numerous ethnic groups, as well as popularizing Hoa Ban, a peculiar piece of flower of the northwestern region.