The Han Thuc (Cold Foods) Festival, observed on the third day of the third lunar month, is regarded by many Vietnamese families as an occasion to honour ancestors, gather together to make banh troi (floating cake) and banh chay (lean cake), and reflect on their cultural roots and traditions.

No longer confined to community spaces, traditional rituals and festivals tied to the spiritual lives of ethnic groups in Son La are increasingly being brought to the stage, making them more accessible to wider audiences. This “theatrical adaptation” breathes new life into intangible cultural heritage, enriching their original values while offering a flexible and effective approach to preservation and promotion.

The Lang Pang A Festival of the La Ha ethnic group was re-enacted at the community cultural house of Hien village, Muong Khieng commune on April 11.

The People’s Committee of Moc Chau ward organised the Rain-Praying Festival 2026 at the stadium of Na Bo 2 residential area on April 2.

The provincial Union of Literature and Arts Associations on March 26 held the closing ceremony of the first creative writing camp for literature and arts 2026.

From the Muong La bridge, we set off along Provincial Road 111 by the Da River toward the remote commune of Pac Nga. Thanks to improved transport infrastructure, the rural landscape here is gradually transforming, the local people’s lives are becoming better, and traditional cultural values continue to be cherished and preserved.

To Mua commune held the opening ceremony of its Ban (Bauhinia variegata) Flower Festival 2026 on the evening of March 20. Attending the event were Hoang Van Chat, former Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and former Chairman of the provincial People’s Council; leaders of Van Ho and Song Khua communes, along with a large number of local residents and visitors from both inside and outside the province.

The Son La provincial Department of Education and Training on March 19 launched the 12th provincial contest for outstanding secondary school teachers for the 2025–2026 academic year.

Visiting Son La in March, tourists can immerse themselves in poetic natural scenery while enjoying distinctive local cuisine. The combination of ban (Bauhinia variegata) blossoms, wild bamboo shoots and the skillful hands of local women creates dishes imbued with the flavours of mountains and forests, captivating visitors from afar at the first taste

In response to International Women’s Day (March 8) and in celebration of the upcoming election of deputies to the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026–2031 term, on March 6 the Women’s Union of Chieng Hac commune organised the Ethnic Women’s Festival, themed “Confidence – Health – Preserving Ethnic Cultural Identity.”

The Incense Offering Festival 2026 at the Hai Ba Trung Temple was held on February 28, or the 12th day of the first lunar month, in Thong Nhat hamlet, Chieng Khuong commune. Attending the event were leaders of several provincial departments and agencies, Hanoi’s Me Linh and Lien Minh communes, and several communes in Son La province, along with a large number of local residents and visitors.

As part of the first Culture and Sports Festival of Ethnic Groups in Chieng Lao commune, local authorities on March 1 staged a reenactment of the Pang A ritual of the La Ha ethnic group in Na Lech hamlet.

Chieng Lao commune on March 1 held the opening ceremony of its first Culture and Sports Festival of Ethnic Groups, themed "The Colourful Culture of Ethnic Groups in Chieng Lao commune". Attending the event were leaders from Quynh Nhai commune, representatives from several units and businesses, and a large number of local people and tourists.

Xuan Nha border commune currently has 17 hamlets, inhabited by four ethnic groups: Thai, Muong, Mong, and Kinh. The commune focuses on organising cultural and sports activities to foster community bonding.

Set against the backdrop of the 2026 Quynh Nhai Culture, Sports and Tourism Week, the traditional boat racing festival lit up the waters at the Pa Uon Bridge regatta site on the morning of February 26.

Bathed in warm spring sunshine and reached after a journey across winding mountain passes, Cang Coi hamlet in Muong Lan commune unfolds in quiet serenity. The traditional stilt houses of 79 Kho Mu households sit cradled by swathes of untouched primary forest. Here, the Kho Mu community continues its quiet yet determined efforts to preserve and promote the cultural heritage passed down through generations.

Beneath wooden houses perched along the cloud-kissed slopes of the mountainous areas of Son La province, the sound of the Mong people’s flute has, for generations, served as a thread binding together the souls of the mountains, the forests, and the local people. Amid the fast-paced rhythm of the digital age when electronic sounds increasingly overshadow traditional instruments, there are still young people who, with passion and dedication, steadfastly keep the Mong flute resonating.

Bo Xanh hamlet, Muong Gion commune, is home to 212 households with nearly 1,000 residents, the majority of whom are Black Thai people. The Black Thai community has preserved many distinctive cultural features, such as women continuing to wear traditional costumes and practicing the traditional hair-bunning ritual after marriage.

A traditional market fair themed ‘Colours of Highland Spring’ opened at the ancient Muong Va tower, Muong Va hamlet, Sop Cop commune on January 25 morning.

The People’s Committee of Xim Vang commune on January 23 organised the Mong Ethnic Culture Festival 2026, drawing large crowds of local residents and visitors.