On February 20, the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, Dong Nguyen ward solemnly organized the traditional Dong Ky firecracker procession. Thousands of locals and visitors gathered to join the festivities, wishing for a year of health, success in business and abundant blessings.

The Dong Ky firecracker festival is closely associated with the legend of Saint Thien Cuong setting out to battle the Xich Quy invaders. According to folk tradition, during the reign of the sixth Hung King, Cuong Cong - the son of the Kinh Bac regional lord - achieved great feats in suppressing the Xich Quy enemy and was granted the title Thien Cuong by the king. On his way to battle, he returned to Dong Ky to recruit soldiers, appoint generals and gather talented individuals.

On the fourth day of the first lunar month, he ordered the troops to march. Thien Cuong divided the army into four units, each led by a general. During the departure ceremony, villagers set off firecrackers and cheered resoundingly, creating a heroic atmosphere that bolstered the soldiers’ morale. After defeating the Xich Quy, Thien Cuong returned to Dong Ky to celebrate the victory. In remembrance of his merit, the villagers worship him as their tutelary deity and annually organize the firecracker festival to reenact the spirit of that historic departure.

The 2026 Dong Ky firecracker festival followed traditional rites, comprising two main parts: the ceremonial procession and the festive activities. The procession featured more than 1,000 participants, including lion dance troupes, large and small traditional music ensembles, teams carrying ritual objects, banners, parasols, gongs and drums, and the palanquins bearing the ceremonial firecrackers - Nhat and Nhi - creating a vibrant and sacred scene.

One of the festival’s most distinctive rituals is “Do ong dam.” Young men aged 18 and above from family clans in Dong Nguyen ward are selected to carry and support four ong dam officials performing in the communal house courtyard. The four must be physically strong and come from families without recent bereavement. The ritual reenacts Saint Thien Cuong’s selection of leading generals for battle, while expressing the martial spirit and solidarity of the community.

Each ong dam wears a red turban and is lifted high amid enthusiastic cheers from young men dressed in red shorts. The official who remains elevated the longest is considered the winner. The selection criteria for the four ong dam require that they be 51 years old, belong to a cultured family and have children who are successful in life.

The festival runs from February 20 to February 22, corresponding to the fourth through sixth days of the first lunar month, featuring a range of cultural and sporting activities characteristic of Kinh Bac such as volleyball, Chinese chess, ornamental creature contests, quan ho folk singing on boats, tuong classical opera and chau van spiritual singing. These activities contribute to a joyful and spirited atmosphere in the early days of spring.

Ngo Quang Huy, Standing Vice Chairman of the Dong Nguyen Ward People’s Committee and Head of the 2026 Dong Ky Spring Festival Organizing Committee, said that after each Lunar New Year, residents eagerly prepare for and participate in the firecracker procession as an indispensable cultural tradition in local spiritual life.

Preparations began early in the morning with hundreds of participants and numerous solemn rituals. The procession lasted more than two hours, moving from the traditional house to the communal house amid the watchful presence of large crowds.

The organizing committee coordinated closely with relevant agencies and functional forces, assigning specific tasks and establishing checkpoints to ensure security and safety for residents and visitors.

Since 2016, the Dong Ky firecracker procession festival has been included by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List. The festival not only expresses reverence toward the village’s tutelary deity but also offers an occasion for residents to recall the heroic traditions of their ancestors in building and defending the nation, thereby preserving and promoting the distinctive cultural values of Kinh Bac.