Mien Doi Terraced Fields Festival 2025

On the morning of October 25, the opening ceremony of the Mien Doi Terraced Fields Festival 2025 took place in Thuong Coc Commune.

People’s Artisan Bui Van Minh performs the New Rice Offering ritual at the Mien Doi Terraced Fields Festival.

This is the second consecutive year the Mien Doi Terraced Fields Festival has been held, contributing to the preservation and celebration of the rich cultural heritage of the Muong ethnic group. Terraced fields are a symbol of the diligence and creativity of highland farmers.

Mam Xoi hill in Mien Doi

The festival is organized to honor and express gratitude to past generations who reclaimed and cultivated the land to create these terraced fields, bringing prosperity to their homeland. It also reflects Thuong Coc’s vision for tourism development: “Preserving heritage as the foundation, and promoting tourism as the driving force for sustainable growth.”

As part of the festival, the New Rice Offering Ceremony - a traditional Muong spiritual ritual that was solemnly reenacted, featuring a procession and offerings to express gratitude to the deities and ancestors for blessing the community with a bountiful harvest.

According to the Muong group tradition, after harvesting, the first batch of newly cooked rice must be offered to the ancestors before. This ritual is among the most sacred spiritual practices of the Muong people and was held on the first day of the Mien Doi Terraced Fields Festival.

Delegates visit OCOP booths at the local fair.

The festival also featured an exhibition showcasing OCOP products (One Commune One Product program) and traditional Muong Vang cuisine. Nine booths display agricultural products, handicrafts, and signature dishes from seven communes in the Lac Son area, as well as from local enterprises and cooperatives.

One of the highlights of the 2025 Mien Doi Terraced Fields Festival was a spectacular Muong gong performance by 200 women members at the Mam Xoi Hill area. Alongside the ceremonial activities, the festival included cultural exchanges, sports competitions, and community tourism experiences.

Showcasing the unique traditions of the Muong group at the festival.

The Mien Doi Terraced Fields Festival 2025 serves as an opportunity for the locality to promote its image and connect with visitors from within and beyond the province, aiming to make tourism a spearhead economic sector. Thuong Coc Commune is dedicated to building itself into a destination defined by its “Authenticity – Safety – Hospitality” on Phu Tho’s tourism map.

The Muong gong performance by 200 women on Mam Xoi Hill.

The picturesque Mien Doi terraced fields during the ripening rice season.

According to the plan, this year’s festival takes place over two days, from October 25 to 26.

Duc Anh