Groom Picking Festival 2025

The Duong Yen village (Dong Anh, Hanoi) organized the Groom Picking Festival to commemorate General Le Hoa's gratitude. This unique festival dates back thousands of years, held on February 2 (lunar calendar) and restored in 2001 after 60 years of loss, with many rituals and folk games, bearing bold characteristics and the traditional culture of the Vietnamese people.

Legend of the festival in Hanoi

According to legend, the Groom Picking Festival originated from the heroic tale of General Le Hoa, who played a crucial role in defending against the Eastern Han invaders during the reign of the Trung Sisters. The story recounts that when the Trung Sisters raised their flags to fight the Eastern Han invaders (A.D. 40-43), a young woman named Le Hoa, also known as A Lu, who was 17-18 years old and unmarried, volunteered to join.

Le Hoa recruited soldiers from across the region and held a military ceremony in Duong Yen village on December 25. After the Trung Sisters triumphed and ascended the throne, they honored Le Hoa with a noble title. Upon her return to Duong Yen, she was warmly welcomed by the villagers and later revered as the Village Deity.

The festival originated from the heroic tale of General Le Hoa

Folk legends suggest Le Hoa was a distinguished general and a healer who cured many villagers of their ailments. As a woman, once peace was restored, she was expected to marry, leading to the inception of the Groom Picking Festival. Every year, on the 2nd day of the second lunar month, people celebrate this festival to commemorate her significant contributions to Duong Yen Village. The festival features various rituals and folk games, embodying the nation's scholarly and martial spirit.

What to expect at the Groom Picking Festival?

The celebration is imbued with the traditional folk culture of the Vietnamese people.

Prepare for the event

The festival is meticulously prepared, with careful attention given to costumes and selecting individuals for various roles. Approximately a month before the event, village members begin their preparations and practice sessions. The woman chosen to portray the mother of Ms. Le Hoa must be beautiful and come from a stable family. The roles of the two sons-in-law and General Le Hoa are assigned to elegant, unmarried young men and women from exemplary, prestigious families who are well-respected and loved by the entire village.

Villagers in Duong Yen prepare approximately a month before the event

Rituals and activities at the Groom Picking Festival

The Groom Picking ceremony is divided into the ceremony and the festival. The main part of the ceremony is the solemn procession where the Village Deity is carried from the temple to the ceremony pavilion. The festival includes many traditional folk games recreated from the Midlands and Northern Delta regions. The groom selection contest will feature 3 games designed to test the skills and abilities of the prospective grooms.

The Groom Picking Festival begins with a ceremony honoring the ancestors. A group of villagers carries Ms. Le Hoa's palanquin from the village gate to the communal houseyard, where village elders stand on both sides with hands clasped in front of their chests, respectfully welcoming her as she descends from the palanquin.

The event includes many traditional folk games

The two grooms are divided into two factions, North and Hau, and they compete in a variety of folk games such as the plowing competition, frog fishing, and catching fish in jars. These games are rooted in agricultural practices and reflect the people's aspirations for a prosperous, happy life and favorable weather conditions.

The plowing competition is a significant highlight of the Groom Picking ceremony, where the grooms showcase their expertise in tying ropes to buffalo necks and creating straight plowing paths. This competition requires contestants to be skilled in farming and physically strong, emphasizing the importance of agricultural proficiency.

There are two grooms in the Groom Picking Festival competing to win

Next is the frog fishing competition, a game that highlights the richness of Vietnamese cultural and spiritual life. In this event, participants must stay within the designated circle; leaving it results in disqualification. When a participant successfully catches a frog, the groom presents the frog to the judge.

Another customary activity is the fish-catching contest in jars, a source of great amusement for participants. Two women, symbolizing Mau Ba, are responsible for adding excitement and challenge to the competition.

Following three rounds of competition, the jury uses scorecards to determine the winner. The victorious groom has the honor of walking alongside General Le Hoa to introduce himself to the villagers, marking the conclusion of the Groom Picking contest. In celebration of the newly engaged couple, the villagers gather to partake in dancing and singing festivities.

Numerous individuals gather to partake in this distinctive festival.

The Groom Picking Festival offers Duong Yen villagers and tourists a chance to reflect on Vietnam's historical traditions of defending the country against invaders, fostering a deep love for the homeland, and instilling patriotic values in the younger generation.