The third Ooc-Om-Bok Festival (moon worship festival) of the Mekong Delta will take place from October 28^th-November 3^rd, according to the event’s organising board.

The board said at a press conference on October 19^th that, during the week, there will be a galaxy of activities in Soc Trang province, including a “ngo” boat race, moon-offering rituals, a lantern-release ceremony, a carnival, a photo exhibition and a trade fair featuring 500 booths.

The third Ooc-Om-Bok Festival (moon worship festival) of the Mekong Delta will take place from October 28^th-November 3^rd. (Source: laodong.vn)

The “ngo” boat rice is scheduled to take place on November 2^nd-3^rd, bringing together 62 teams from regional cities and provinces such as Bac Lieu, Ca Mau, Hau Giang and Kien Giang.

Apart from cultural and sport activities, and art performances, there will be a symposium on tourism development in Soc Trang province.

Ok-Om-Bok is one of the three main festivals – along with Sene Dolta and Chol Chnam Thmay – that Khmer people celebrate every year and take place under the full moon. The Khmer believe the moon is a God who controls the weather and crops throughout the year.

Celebrated on the 14^th and 15^th of the 10^th month on the lunar calendar, the festival is one of the most prominent in Vietnam, attended by thousands who make wishes to the moon deity for prosperity and good health.

As a full moon appears on the night of the festival, local people offer green-rice flakes, ripe bananas, fresh peeled coconuts, mangoes and other items.

At the end of the ceremony, the children sit on the ground and clap their hands while they are fed a handful of green-rice flakes by their elders.

During the festival, paper lanterns are released and handmade banana-tree ferries lined with lights are placed on the river. This is believed to sweep away the darkness and humidity of the rainy season.

The completion of the boat race signifies the end of the villagers responsibility to the Moon God./.

VNF/VNA