The Hue Nam Temple Festival Returns This August
As part of the Autumn Festival of Hue Festival 2026, the Hue Nam Temple Festival will take place from August 20 to 22, 2026 (the 8th to 10th days of the seventh lunar month) at Hue Nam Temple (Hon Chen Temple), Hai Cat Village Communal House, and the Holy Mother Temple at 352 Chi Lang Street, Phu Xuan Ward, Hue City.
Recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage, the Hue Nam Temple Festival plays an important role in preserving and promoting traditional cultural values, while honoring the practice of the Vietnamese Mother Goddess worship, which UNESCO has inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The festival is expected to attract 20,000 to 30,000 people, with 22 to 30 ceremonial boats taking part. A range of distinctive activities will be held, including the procession of the Holy Mother along the Perfume River, traditional rituals at Hue Nam Temple and Hai Cat Village Communal House, pilgrimage activities, community festivities, and prayers for peace and prosperity.
KEY ACTIVITIES
August 20: The Holy Mother will be ceremonially escorted from 352 Chi Lang Street to Hue Nam Temple, followed by the festival opening, the Cao Yet ritual, pilgrimage activities, and community festivities.
August 21: The main worship ceremony and prayers for peace and prosperity will take place, followed by the ceremonial procession of the Holy Mother and the Four Palaces Council to Hai Cat Village Communal House.
August 22: The main worship ceremony will be held at Hai Cat Village Communal House, followed by the return procession to Hue Nam Temple. The festival will conclude with a thanksgiving ceremony and the return procession to the Holy Mother Temple.
FREE ADMISSION TO HUE NAM TEMPLE FROM AUGUST 18 TO 22, 2026 Local residents and visitors are invited to take part in the festival and experience the distinctive spiritual and cultural traditions associated with this important heritage event.
SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE ON THE HUE NAM TEMPLE FESTIVAL
As part of the festival activities, the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre will coordinate with the Institute for Research and Development of Vietnamese Mother Goddess Worship to organize a scientific conference entitled “Managing, Protecting and Promoting the Intangible Cultural Heritage Values of the Hue Nam Temple Festival in Contemporary Life.”
Time: August 19, 2026
Venue: Saigon Morin Hotel, 30 Le Loi Street, Hue City
The conference will bring together researchers, heritage professionals, and community representatives to discuss and assess the historical, cultural, and spiritual significance of the Hue Nam Temple Festival. It will also contribute to strengthening the scientific foundation for heritage management, conservation and promotion, as well as further developing the dossier toward a future UNESCO nomination.
Make plans to experience the Hue Nam Temple Festival and discover the distinctive cultural and spiritual traditions that continue to shape the heritage of Vietnam’s former imperial capital.