From early morning on September 1, four parade contingents featuring 200 artisans and amateur performers from Thao Nguyen, Moc Chau, Moc Son and Van Son wards gathered to march and showcase traditional dances of the Mong, Dao, Thai and Xinh Mun ethnic groups.

They paraded along sections of National Highway 6, around the headquarters of the Moc Son ward People’s Committee, through the park areas of Residential Groups 3 and 7 in Moc Son ward, and at May 8 Square.

Dressed in colourful traditional costumes, the performers moved to the sounds of flutes, drums and gongs, turning the streets of the green plateau into a vibrant display of ethnic cultures.

Thai women performed graceful xoe dances, while Mong men and women showcased the distinctive Tha Kenh dance, combining vigorous movements with the melodic sound of traditional flutes. Xinh Mun women performed their characteristic graceful dances, while Dao couples took part in lively bell dances.

With no stage separating performers from their audience, the street performances allowed residents and tourists to join in, take photographs and interact directly with the artisans and performers.

For the artisans, the performances provided an opportunity to showcase cultural traditions passed down through generations.

Mua A Lu, a Mong artisan from the Thao Nguyen ward parade group, said he had been invited to take part in the street performances marking Vietnam's Independence Day on September 2 almost every year for the past 15 years. 

"I perform the Mong flute with members of our arts troupe. I feel happy and proud that our ethnic culture is being preserved and promoted to residents and visitors," he said.

Luong Thi Huan, head of the Thai ethnic parade group from Moc Son ward, stated each performance offered another opportunity to bring ethnic culture closer to the public. "In addition to street parades, we perform traditional dances featuring the pieu scarf and fans to entertain visitors," she said.

As the parade groups moved through the streets, their performances drew the attention of residents and tourists. Many visitors joined the dancers, spoke with artisans and amateur performers, and took photographs.

Nguyen Thi Chanh, a visitor from Hanoi, said this was her second visit to Moc Chau during the National Day holiday. "I really enjoy the atmosphere here. I have seen many distinctive performances and learned that Moc Chau is home to several ethnic communities, each with its own traditional costumes and cultural identity. Activities like these help me better appreciate the land and people of Moc Chau," she said.

Alongside the parades, traditional games provided opportunities for interaction between local communities and visitors.

This year, for the first time, a large-scale communal pao (cloth ball) throwing performance was held, becoming one of the event's most striking images. Amid thousands of spectators, the colourful pao balls passed from person to person, symbolising a connection between traditional village culture and a broader public space.

Phang Senh, from Nam Nghep hamlet in Ngoc Chien commune, said the Mong community in Ngoc Chien continued to play the pao throwing game during festivals and traditional holidays.

"Seeing this traditional game being held in Moc Chau makes us, as Mong people, very proud. We will continue to preserve and promote our cultural traditions and introduce them to visitors," he confided.

At the cultural camp area, where parade groups from across the province gather, visitors could also take part in traditional activities including pounding glutinous rice to make banh day (round glutinous rice cakes), shuttlecock kicking, bamboo dancing, xoe dancing and bell dances, adding to the festive atmosphere of the Independence Day celebrations.

Bui Van Hien, a visitor from Hung Yen province who joined a banh day-making activity, said he was impressed by the skill of the Mong men taking part.

"Watching the Mong men pound the rice so skilfully made it look easy. But when I tried it myself, I realised it was not. It takes a lot of strength and requires the two people pounding the rice to coordinate their movements. It was a very interesting experience," he remarked.

Street cultural performances have become a highlight of the Moc Chau Culture and Tourism Week 2026, helping bring traditional cultural values to tourists.

Through traditional costumes, music and folk games, artisans and amateur performers are not only preserving and passing on their cultural identity but also telling engaging stories about their communities and homeland.

In doing so, cultural traditions are moving beyond village spaces and becoming part of contemporary public life, making them more accessible to the wider community./.