On the morning of 14/3 (the 26th day of the first lunar month), Nguyen Tu Liem, 43, who manages a tire business in Lang Son, was busy with his staff completing a 300 square meter event tent near the Children's Palace on Tran Dang Ninh street, Ky Lua ward.

Considered one of the largest tents in the area, construction began on 13/3. All of Liem's company employees were given leave from this time to focus on participating in the festival.

Inside the tent, 60 eight-person banquet tables were set with dishes and chopsticks, with staff on standby to serve acquaintances and any unfamiliar guests who stopped by. In front of the tent, over 10 large offering trays, meticulously decorated with whole roasted pigs, sticky rice, chicken, and fruit, awaited presentation at the temple on the main festival day.

Visitors from all directions flock to the festival, stopping at each tent to join the festivities. Photo: Nga Thanh

Visitors from all directions flock to the festival, stopping at each tent to join the festivities. Photo: Nga Thanh

Liem revealed that the cost for this occasion reached over 800 million dong. This amount covered the rent for the premises, tent design, installation of a professional sound and lighting system, and hiring a DJ. Additionally, he ordered 120 feasts from a restaurant to serve guests continuously over two days.

Having maintained this tradition for 10 years, Liem stated, "After a successful business year, inviting everyone, including strangers, to a feast is our way of sharing prosperity, wishing for everything to go smoothly, and demonstrating the hospitality of Lang Son people."

The tent belonging to Nguyen Tu Liem, 43, in Lang Son, on 14/3. Photo: Nga Thanh

The tent belonging to Nguyen Tu Liem, 43, in Lang Son, on 14/3. Photo: Nga Thanh

Liem's lavish spending is not an isolated case. Along the more than 2-kilometer-long Tran Dang Ninh street, about 40 households have erected tents exceeding 100 square meters. On streets around the palanquin procession area, such as Bac Son, Dong Kinh, and Tran Phu, hundreds of other tents have also sprung up in close proximity. The larger tents mostly belong to businesses, while smaller ones are organized by individual businesses or residents utilizing sidewalks and ground floors. According to tent owners, the cost of feasts for inviting strangers accounts for the majority of expenses, followed by decoration and tent design.

Instead of a traditional canvas tent, Tran Trung Thanh, 31, a department head at a logistics company, spent 60 million dong on a floral arch combined with a golden horse model over 2 meters tall. Including the cost of sound equipment and dozens of feasts for guests, the total investment was approximately 150 million dong. "This meticulous effort is not for advertising but to express gratitude to employees and spread the warmth of the local people," Thanh said.

Working people have an equally vibrant way of celebrating the festival. At the Doc Don inter-family group (Tran Dang Ninh street), 30 households utilize the space in front of their homes to set up a communal tent. The approximate 30 million dong cost is funded by voluntary contributions from the households. Some arrange for the feasts, others decorate the offering trays, and some handle the sound system. Dinh Van Quang, 68, a representative of the residential group, said that after the procession returns from the temple, hundreds of residents and passersby will gather to partake in the feast and sing through the night.

Tran Trung Thanh, 31, in Ky Lua ward, spent over 60 million dong designing the tent and purchasing the horse mascot, on 14/3. Photo: Quynh Nguyen

Tran Trung Thanh, 31, in Ky Lua ward, spent over 60 million dong designing the tent and purchasing the horse mascot, on 14/3. Photo: Quynh Nguyen

A household in Ky Lua ward prepares a feast to invite strangers.

Hundreds of tourists stop to eat at a tent on Tran Dang Ninh street.

The tent of the Doc Don inter-family group, comprising 30 households on Tran Dang Ninh street, prepares for the ritual.

The approximately 300 square meter tent of Nguyen Tu Liem, 43, a businessman in Lang Son.

A person prepares offerings for the main festival.

Tourists come to the tents to feast and celebrate.

Explaining this cultural characteristic, Luu Ba Mac, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Lang Son province, stated that the Ky Cung - Ta Phu temple festival dates back to the 17th century. The festival takes place on the 26th-27th days of the first lunar month, but preparations begin 10 days prior.

The most unique highlight of the festival is the tradition of setting up tents and preparing feasts to invite guests. According to Mac, in the past, residents primarily displayed offering trays in front of their homes to welcome the palanquin procession and then shared the blessings. More recently, this activity has expanded, with families setting up tents and inviting friends, partners, and even tourists to join the festivities.

"Each family setting up a tent according to their economic means creates an open festival space, demonstrating the openness and hospitality of Lang Son people. This beautiful custom also strengthens community bonds, carrying aspirations for a harmonious, prosperous new year," Mac assessed.

Recalling this change, Tran Lang, 71, said that before 1980, residents only offered fruits to the temple. In the late 1990s, as the economy improved, households began to buy roast pigs for offerings and then set up tents in front of their homes to share the blessings. Gradually, the custom of "the whole city feasts" spread throughout the streets, becoming a unique tradition.

This enthusiasm and generosity have transformed Lang Son into an attractive destination. Pham Mai, 35, a tourist from Hai Phong, said she had to book a room two weeks in advance. On the evening of 14/3, while walking around, her group was unexpectedly invited by a tent owner to join a feast featuring a whole roasted pig, sticky rice, chicken, and hotpot.

The tourist was even more surprised to learn that during peak days, many residents are willing to open their homes to strangers for overnight stays when guesthouses are fully booked. "Only by immersing oneself in this atmosphere can one truly see how generous Lang Son people are," Mai said.

Hundreds of tents are set up to invite strangers to celebrate in Lang Son. Video: Quynh Nga

Quynh Nguyen - Nga Thanh