Chau Thanh Long, vice chairman of La Gi Town, said: "The festival is not only a cultural event but also a historical activity to pay tribute to ancestors. This year, the festival has new features from the rituals to the activities."

The rituals include offering ceremonies to goddesses, ancestors and whales as well as ceremonies to pray for a good harvest, good health and happiness for residents.

The festival days were filled with traditional artistic performances such as dragon dances, drum roll and sports activities including hill trekking, human chess and tug-of-war.

For the first time the festival will feature a legend about Thay Thim by cai luong (Southern opera) drama performed by popular artists from HCMC.

The organizers also introduced a book about Thay Thim Palace by Le Cong Si which aims to mark the 15th anniversary of the palace being recognized as a national historical-cultural relic. They expect to attract over 200,000 visitors.