The festival, observed from 27 February to 3 March (the 11th to 15th day of the first lunar month), includes the welcoming of deities, mountain and well worship rituals, chanting of Buddhist scriptures, spring offerings, and ceremonies honouring local guardian spirits. At night, classical hát bội performances are staged as part of the triennial expanded celebration.
Held each spring, the Thanh Minh Festival expresses the community’s commitment to “remembering one’s roots,” paying tribute to the village’s tutelary deity, founding ancestors and contributors to its development. It also serves as a time for prayers for national peace and prosperity and for commemorating fallen heroes and those whose graves have been lost or displaced.
A highlight of the opening day was the well worship ceremony, conducted at the former ancient village well that once supplied water to the entire community. Although the well has long been filled in due to modern development, elders maintain the ritual at its original site to preserve cultural continuity.
Local elders note that while the Thanh Minh Festival is traditionally held in the third lunar month in many parts of Vietnam, the Nhơn Hải community observes it earlier, at the beginning of spring. According to local belief, this period is dedicated to honouring the village’s tutelary deity who is believed to safeguard residents and ensure their prosperity.
Under the triennial cycle, the full festival includes invited hát bội troupes, while in other years only the grave-tending ritual is held without accompanying opera performances.
