West Lake launches First-ever Hanoi Lotus Festival

Created by Tu Nam Nguyen at 2024-06-21 17:31:26 , Updated by Tu Nam Nguyen at 2024-06-22 11:14:26
Hanoi Lotus Festival 2024 has been planned to take place for the first time this July. Let's take a look at the lotus region festival's special features

Organized by the West Lake District People's Committee and relevant departments, the Hanoi Lotus Festival will occur in July 2024 at West Lake District Creative Cultural Space. The city is going to debut a large-scale lotus festival. Hanoi Lotus Festival introduces and promotes the cultural values of the capital city, particularly West Lake Lotus.

Meeting to announce Hanoi Lotus Festival organization. Source: Hanoi Web Portal

Meeting to announce Hanoi Lotus Festival organization. Source: Hanoi Web Portal

The festival will showcase Hanoi lotus and lotus-based products. It will also honor the dedicated artisans of the West Lake lotus-growing region. Asia King Travel would like to highlight the key features of the Hanoi Lotus Festival 2024 for your reference in this article.

The Purpose of Hanoi Lotus Festival

The Hanoi Lotus Festival celebrates the beauty and cultural significance of lotus in Hanoi, especially in the West Lake region. It shows the unique lotus tea-making process and the important role of lotus in Vietnamese culture.

Simultaneously, the event introduces OCOP (One Commune One Product), regional specialties of northern mountainous provinces' culture. The festival is a trade promotion activity to strengthen connections, exchange, and share experiences regarding Hanoi lotus products with other provinces across Vietnam.

Lotus is the national flower and a symbol of Vietnamese culture

Lotus is the national flower and a symbol of Vietnamese culture

Ms. Bui Thi Lan Phuong, Vice Chairwoman of West Lake District People's Committee, said the Hanoi Lotus Festival will showcase the unique values of lotus tea making, as well as the distinct characteristics of lotus culture in Vietnamese life.

Besides boosting domestic consumption through the upcoming Lotus Festival, the Organizing Committee hopes that West Lake Lotus will become a favorite choice for international tourists and ambassadors.

When does Hanoi Lotus Festival take place

Hanoi Lotus Festival 2024 is expected to be held for 5 days, from July 12th to 16th, 2024. Before that, in March, West Lake lotus was planted on a trial basis in 4 small lakes around West Lake on about 7.5 hectares area. These lotus flowers will bloom most beautifully during the festival.

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Activities at Hanoi Lotus Festival

The Opening Ceremony

The opening ceremony of the Hanoi Lotus Festival will take place from 8:00 PM to 9:30 PM on July 12, 2024, with the participation of over 5,000 delegates and visitors.

Trinh Cong Son walking street, the festival venue

Trinh Cong Son walking street, the festival venue

National Intangible Cultural Heritage certificate for West Lake lotus tea-making tradition presentation followed after. "Beauty, Ao Dai, and Lotus" photo contest awards ceremony will conclude the event.

“Beauty, Ao Dai and Lotus” Photo Contest

The festival organizers invite everyone to wear lotus-themed ao dai and capture photos at West Lake to celebrate and promote Hanoi's iconic lotus blossoms. Share these photos on social media or submit them to the official festival's Facebook page. Photos fitting the theme and using festival-related hashtags will be approved.

A lotus blossom stands out amongst a lotus flowers sea. Source: Cong Studio

A lotus blossom stands out amongst a lotus flowers sea. Source: Cong Studio

OCOP Products Exhibition

The OCOP Fair will showcase 100 booths featuring regional specialties from Northern Highlands. Visitors can also enjoy interactive areas dedicated to lotus silk products, lotus-based cuisine, lotus decorations, and lotus-themed handicrafts. The fair will also present lotus varieties across Vietnam, including some most prized lotus cultivars.

Lotus-based products

Lotus-based products

At the fair, organizers will honor artisans, skilled workers, and those who have preserved and developed lotus cultivation practices in connection with tourism. They will also evaluate and award outstanding lotus products from other producers.

Side events

Alongside the main festival, visitors can enjoy an art exhibition with lotus-themed installations, a photo exhibition portraying the lotus in Vietnamese life, a "Trinh Cong Son and Friends" music night, etc.

Trinh Cong Son Street, named in honor of the talented musician

Trinh Cong Son Street, named in honor of the talented musician

Notably, organizers will host two major side events in collaboration with West Lake District. The "Colors of West Lake Lotus" Green Journey cycling event will see 7,000 participants biking around West Lake. The "Lotus Connects Love" program will pay a visit to Heroic Vietnamese Mothers and families with preferential treatment policies in the district.

Reviving West Lake's Lotus Cultivation

Lotus flowers have long been cultivated in West Lake, celebrated for splendid colors and delicate fragrance. West Lake lotus is a special variety containing up to 100 petals per bloom. It is called "Bach Diep" (100 petals) for this reason. Hanoi people cherish these flowers. And the lotus thrives in the capital's soil, flourishing in response to the care it receives. 

Bach Diep lotus blooms in hundred petals

Bach Diep lotus blooms in hundred petals

However, since 2018, changes in weather patterns and water quality have caused a decline in lotus cultivation area, essential for producing lotus-infused tea. In response, West Lake District has promptly implemented a project to restore and expand the lotus coverage area.

In April and May 2024, Hanoi Agricultural Extension Center provided West Lake District with 7,000 Bach Diep lotus seedlings. Local farmers followed the center's guidance for proper planting techniques, including misting and nighttime illumination to stimulate growth. The lotus plants in the restoration project began to bloom after two months.

West lake lotus is ready for the festival

West lake lotus is ready for the festival

It wasn't just cultivation techniques; lotus farmers' dedication was the key factor in this success. Elevating Hanoi's lotus plants has been a long-held aspiration for artisans who have devoted their lives to these flowers. And now they have an opportunity to showcase their expertise. 

Conclusion

Through the festival, West Lake lotus-growing community wishes to introduce the art of lotus tea scenting, along with the unique cultural significance of lotus in Vietnamese life. What about you? Start planning a trip to Vietnam today and experience the Lotus Festival this coming July. You can contact Asia King Travel for dedicated assistance.

 

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