The fair features around 3,000 booths spanning more than 130,000 square metres, divided into five exhibition zones. As a national-scale economic and cultural event, it brings together participants from 34 provinces and cities, ministries, as well as domestic and international businesses. The fair aims to stimulate domestic consumption, support Vietnam’s goal of achieving over 8% economic growth in 2025, and promote the country’s cultural values.

Amid the 3,000 booths, Son La’s display stands out like a vibrant canvas reflecting the spirit of Vietnam’s Northwestern mountains. Spanning over 200 square metres, the booth is inspired by the majestic landscapes of Ta Xua and the crisp persimmon season in Moc Chau, blending modern and traditional elements. Visitors are greeted with lively Thai dances and colourful ethnic costumes, invited to join Mong villagers in making traditional “banh day” sticky rice cakes, and treated to Son La’s signature coffee, tea, and specialty agricultural products.

Le Thi Hong Anh, director of the centre, said that since early October, the centre has worked with the provincial People’s Committee to develop plans, design the booth, and inform local businesses and cooperatives about the event.

“This is an opportunity for Son La to promote its tourism and cultural products to visitors,” she said. “In addition to the agricultural display area, we built models of traditional stilt houses, weaving looms, and mascots representing the Thai and Mong ethnic groups to create highlights for the booth. We hope the fair will attract more businesses in agriculture and tourism.”

Affirming its position as the “agricultural hub” of northern Vietnam, Son La’s booth has attracted thousands of visitors and shoppers with products such as ancient Shan Tuyet tea from Moc Chau, wild honey, coffee, and organic fruits and vegetables. At the fair, food distributors and businesses have made initial connections with local cooperatives and agricultural production groups. These effective supply-demand linkages are expected to help build sustainable supply chains and secure stable markets for local farmers.

At Son La’s booth, the showcase goes beyond trade, weaving together stories of culture and tourism. Each agricultural product tells its own story through short videos and brochures highlighting organic production processes rooted in local identity. For instance, Shan Tuyet tea grown in Chieng Son commune is not only a prized specialty but also a story of preserving the traditional craft of the Mong people on Pha Luong Peak. Visitors to the fair can enjoy these products while listening to the stories behind them.

Traditional culture comes alive through a series of folk performances at Son La’s main stage. Every day from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., visitors can enjoy Thai xoe dances, then singing, and gong performances. The cultural experience area invites guests to try hand-weaving brocade, dyeing fabrics with forest leaves, or tasting ethnic delicacies such as five-coloured sticky rice and smoked buffalo meat. Handicrafts made from bamboo, rattan, and flax serve not only as souvenirs but also as stories reflecting the daily life and heritage of Son La’s ethnic communities.

Lo Thi Mai, a Thai ethnic artisan from Thuan Chau commune, shared: “Through this event, we hope Son La’s culture will reach closer to everyone. With our traditional xoe dances and the distinct sound of gongs of the Thai people in Son La, I hope local authorities will continue to support cultural tourism products. This could help attract travel companies to develop tours through Thuan Chau, further promoting Thai cultural heritage.”

The fair truly serves as a “hub of trade and a source of Vietnamese creativity,” where Son La not only showcases its signature products but also promotes its ethnic culture and shares stories behind its agricultural practices. With its active participation, the province is helping to advance the spirit of “Vietnamese people prioritising Vietnamese goods” while expanding opportunities for international integration.