Fireworks festival in Vinh Bao

If tourists have the opportunity to come to the port city of Hai Phong in the autumn, do not miss the opportunity to attend the land firecracker festival held in the communes of Tan Hung, Tam Da, Tan Lien, Vinh Bao district, Hai Phong. Vinh Bao district is located more than 40km from Hai Phong city center, it will take you about an hour by car to arrive.

The festival is held on the 3rd of the 8th lunar month every year. The origin of the festival has many different legends. Legend has it that the festival was first held in the middle of the first century AD. Another legend says that the earth cannon festival was formed during the process when farmers built dikes to prevent floods. Or another legend says that in 1288, Tran Hung Dao's elephants, when crossing the Hoa river, got bogged down and people around used dry soil to throw down the elephant to help the elephant cross. Although the exact origin of the festival has not yet been determined, until now the festival still maintains and attracts many people to come and see. To make quality firecrackers, the participants must prepare very carefully from a few days in advance, the soil for making firecrackers must be taken from the riverbed, then cleaned and removed impurities. After that, they will dry it and then knead it with their hands until it is flexible and smooth, then it can be used to make firecrackers. The rules of the game are very simple, when the cannon bounces and falls to the ground, the bigger it explodes and the longer the wings open, the winner is the team. People divide each cannon usually 3-4 people participate in making. The cannon is shaped by the player in an elliptical shape, from 70 cm to 1 meter long, 40 cm to 60 cm wide, with a 20 kg cannon. When launching cannons, each group chooses the strongest and most skillful person to launch the cannon, the rest have the task of raising the cannon. The artillery that explodes and has the longest wings is the winner. Firework festival is an activity, a folk game with chivalry spirit, the tradition of drinking water to remember the source of the people here.