Held on September 18 and 19, the 2026 festival was jointly organized by the People’s Committees of Quy Nhơn and East Quy Nhơn wards in Gia Lai province.
The event featured cultural and sporting activities, folk games, local specialty promotion and community exchanges.
The festival’s main activities took place directly on the river, transforming the waterway into a lively venue for competitions and community gatherings.
Decorative flower boats, boat races and other water-based activities drew residents and visitors to both riverbanks.
The event also provided an opportunity for the two wards to explore ways of using the Hà Thanh River landscape for cultural, sporting and tourism activities, with the aim of creating a shared space for their communities.
Nguyễn Văn Dũng, deputy head of the Culture and Social Affairs Office of East Quy Nhơn Ward, said it was the first time the two localities had worked together to organize a festival.
The two wards coordinated planning, assigned responsibilities and implemented the activities jointly, while police, military, medical and rescue teams, specialized agencies, political-social organizations and neighborhood groups were mobilized to ensure safety and coordination.
Particular attention was given to water-based activities, including SUP racing, flower boat parades, traditional boat races, basket boat races and duck catching. Rescue, medical and security teams, together with support equipment, were stationed at the event sites.
Organizers also arranged logistics for stages, sound and lighting systems, electricity, water, traffic management and environmental sanitation.
According to the organizing committee, 26 neighborhood teams from the two wards competed in the flower boat competition, while the culinary and local product promotion area featured 10 booths.
The SUP race attracted 59 athletes. Five teams competed in the traditional boat race, while the basket boat race featured 10 teams with 30 athletes. Folk games, including duck catching, and cultural and artistic performances were also held for residents and visitors.
Boat No. 1 from the Temple of Saint Trần in Quy Nhơn Ward won first prize in the flower boat competition. The boat featured a solemn image of Đức Thánh Trần, creating a distinctive visual display against the river setting.
Nguyễn Bá Đạt, a representative of Boat No. 1, said the team wanted to honor Saint Trần and convey its wishes for peace and prosperity for the homeland.
“Featuring his image on the flower boat at the festival is a source of pride for us,” Đạt said, adding that the team was honored to contribute to the festival and promote local cultural values.
The festival also attracted international visitors. South Korean tourist Shin Yong Deuk, who attended with his family, said he was impressed by the Hà Thanh area and the scenery of Quy Nhơn.
He said he had visited Nha Trang, Da Nang, Vung Tau and Phu Quoc, but found Quy Nhơn distinctive for its combination of sea, river and mountains, as well as the friendliness of local residents.
Shin also noted that the area’s relatively natural landscape could help attract more tourists, particularly from South Korea, in the future.
Initial reports from organizers indicated that more than 30,000 residents and visitors attended the festival. Images and videos of the flower boats, races and riverside activities were widely captured, shared and livestreamed on social media, helping introduce the Hà Thanh River and the communities along its banks to a wider audience.
Bùi Duy Ninh, vice chairman of the People’s Committee of East Quy Nhơn Ward, said the festival reflected contributions from across the community, from flower boats and racing teams to food stalls and riverside games.
He said the collective participation had also strengthened interaction between residents of the two wards.
“Through the festival, the Hà Thanh River has demonstrated its potential to become a shared community space for both wards,” Ninh said.
The two localities will continue to study suitable activities for the river area, while introducing new elements associated with Hà Thanh, with the aim of gradually developing a distinctive cultural and sporting identity for the festival.