The first Ngo boat race festival of the Khmer people in the Mekong Delta will take place in Soc Trang City from November 14 to 17. The race is part of a traditional festival of Khmer people in the province on every 15th day of the 10th lunar month.

This year it will be upgraded by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to a regional scale festival. The festival is expected to attract 80 boat race teams, both men's and women's, from the Mekong Delta provinces, to join in two categories of 1,200m and 1,000m races.

It will also features such activities as trade fairs, exhibitions, traditional food festival, art performances and ethnic costume competitions.

The organiser expects the festival will help preserve the traditional cultural identity of Khmer people, raise public awareness of the need to preserve the cultural heritage of the region, and promote the province's tourism potential as well. — VNS