Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival has been recognized as the National Intangible Cultural Heritage since December 27, 2012 as an effort to honor the community cultural practices, protecting and promoting intangible cultural heritage values.
After 2 year pause due to the impacts of COVID-19 epidemic, Do Son District People's Committee will kick off the Buffalo Fighting Festival in 2022 with the local synergy in accordance with the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism’s guidance in the document no. 2928/BVHTTDL-VHCS dated August 8, 2022, focusing on the following tasks:
- To organize the festival according to "the project on renovating the organization and management of Do Son buffalo fighting festival, Hai Phong City".
- To build and implement plans to ensure absolute security and safety for the participants.
- To prevent any form of bet during the festival by strictly regulating the responsibilities of buffalo owners and festival participants.
- To practice the civilized lifestyle during the festival; manage the slaughter to protect Do Son buffalo meat brand; publize meat price and ensure food hygiene.
- To intensify the promotion of the cultural beauty and symbolic meaning of the festival to the community.
- To promptly encourage and reward organizations and individuals with positive contributions to the festival.
The Festival includes 2 parts: the Ceremony and the Festival, in which the formers consists of 6 parts: The ceremony of offering incense and raising flag to open the festival at Nghe Temple and Nam Hai Than Vuong Temple on August 28; the ceremony of water procession at Nghe Temple on September 2; the ceremony of worshiping Gods at Nghe Temple and the stadium on the night of September 3; the Ceremony of ringing out Gods at Nghe Temple on September 11; the Sacrifice Ceremony at the stadium and at the communal houses of winning wardson September 5.
Meanwhile, the festival will be held at 7:30 am on September 4 at the central stadium of Do Son District (No. 274 Ly Thanh Tong Street - Do Son District), and broadcast live on Hai Phong Radio and Television.
There will also be some additional activities in the Festival’s framework to promote local tourism include: Bolero live show; EDM music festival; street music performances; Vietnamese Village Fair with diverse street food products which are all expected to attract a large number of tourists to Do Son on this occasion.