Signature foods from different localities nationwide will be featured during a celebration for New Year 2018 at the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism in Son Tay town, the outskirts of Hanoi.

The traditional rice cooking competition organised during festivals will be staged at the event 

The event will take place during December and January with the theme of ‘Regional Delicious Dishes’.

The programme welcomes the participation of 160 ethnic people from 13 ethnic groups across the country, including Tay, Dao, Mong, Thai, Muong, Kho Mu, Ta Oi, Raglai and Khmer.

A typical rural market from the northwest region will be recreated at the village, where visitors can enjoy the festive atmosphere during New Year with locals from the regions.

Visitors are invited to enjoy folk songs and dances, play folk games, and taste indigenous dishes from different regions.

The ethnic people will introduce and cook many specialities such as thang co (simmered horse meat and offal), thang den (boiled glutinous rice dumplings stuffed with mung beans), men men (cooked corn powder), xoi ngu sac (colourful sticky rice), corn wine, roasted pork and grilled fish.

They will sell products from their regions such as dried bamboo shoots, brocade, wine, vegetables and thit gac bep (smoked buffalo meat or pork).

Khu Cu Te festival, which has a significant meaning in the cultural and spiritual life of the La Chi ethnic community in the northern province of Ha Giang, will also be introduced on December 31.

It is the biggest traditional festival of the La Chi people, during which they cheer for bumper crops and pray for peace and happiness.

The festival was recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2014 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

There are also traditional arts performances by artists from the Viet Nam Tuong (classical drama) Theatre, a puppet show staged by the Vietnam Puppet Theatre, and a circus show by the Vietnam Circus Federation.-VNA