The wind-avoiding custom is a long-standing custom of the Dao people living in Hoanh Mo commune.
The festival is held on the 4th day of the 4th lunar month every year and has long become a unique cultural activity of the locality.
According to the folk beliefs of the Dao people, on the wind-avoidance day, everyone leaves the house early in the morning to let the Wind God enter the house, sweeping away bad luck and worries of the old year, bringing peace, luck and prosperity for the new year.
On this day, people temporarily put aside their daily work, release buffaloes into the forest, go to the market together, meet friends and relatives.
Within the framework of the Kien Gio Festival 2026, the locality has organized the introduction of Cao Ba Lanh provincial-level historical, cultural and scenic relics; announced the decision to recognize 26 Vietnamese Heritage trees and the "Cao Ly Moon Night" program held periodically on the 15th day of the lunar month at Cao Ly peak.
The highlight of the opening ceremony is an art program with many performances vividly recreating the traditional cultural life of ethnic minorities.
In particular, the program has the participation of an art troupe from China, contributing to strengthening solidarity and friendship between people in border areas.
Many exciting folk sports activities are also organized such as tug-of-war, stick pushing, spinning exchanges between villages and hamlets; embroidery contests on traditional costumes.
The pho stir-frying contest between business households and the culinary contest with the participation of 22 villages also attracted a large number of people and tourists.
The Kien Gio Festival in 2026 marks the beginning of a series of cultural, sports, and tourism activities of the locality, contributing to promoting socio-economic development and building the image of Hoanh Mo rich in cultural identity.
