Discovering the Thanh Ha Pottery Village Festival: A Unique Cultural Heritage in Hoi An

Thanh Ha Pottery Village is one of the oldest traditional craft villages in Central Vietnam, with a history of formation and development spanning over 500 years. The village is located in Hoi An Tay ward (formerly known as Thanh Ha ward), Da Nang city, only about 3-4 km west of the center of Hoi An ancient town, former Quang Nam (now Da Nang city). This location sits along the Thu Bon River, creating a picturesque natural landscape that harmonizes with traditional pottery making.

To reach Thanh Ha Pottery Village, visitors can travel from Hoi An by motorbike, bicycle, or even walk if they enjoy exploring. From Da Nang, you can follow Duy Tan or Pham Phan Street to reach the village directly. This place is not only a ceramics production center but also a living museum of pottery crafting, featuring ancient kilns, workshops, and the Thanh Ha Terracotta Park. Thanh Ha Pottery Village has been recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage, making an important contribution to the cultural identity of the Hoi An – Da Nang region.

The Thanh Ha Pottery Craft Ancestor Commemoration Festival is a traditional annual event held on the 9th and 10th days of the 7th lunar month, which corresponds to late August or early September in the solar calendar, depending on the year. For example, in 2023 the festival took place from August 24-25, in 2025 from August 31 to September 1, and in 2026 it is expected to fall around the same period, often coinciding with the National Day holiday on September 2, creating favorable conditions for tourists to attend.

The festival usually lasts two days, with the official opening on the morning of the first day at the intersection of Duy Tan and Pham Phan streets in Thanh Ha Pottery Village. This is an ideal time to visit because the weather in Central Vietnam is usually cool with little rain, perfect for outdoor activities. If you are planning your trip, check the exact lunar calendar to avoid missing out, as the festival is not only an occasion to honor the craft ancestors but also an opportunity for the village to promote local products and culture.

The Thanh Ha Pottery Craft Ancestor Commemoration Festival is divided into two main parts: the ceremonial rituals and the festive activities, blending solemn rituals with lively festivities that reflect the community spirit of the craft village locals.

• Ceremonial part: Begins early in the morning with a solemn palanquin procession from Lum Ba Dang Temple (where the craft founders are worshipped) to Nam Dieu Temple. The procession includes artisans, local leaders, and residents, carrying divine palanquins, incense, lights, and sacrificial offerings. This is followed by the incense offering and ancestor tribute ceremony at the temple to express gratitude to the ancestors who created and handed down the pottery craft. This ritual usually takes place in a solemn atmosphere, filled with the sounds of drums and gongs and traditional attire, demonstrating deep respect for the craft ancestors.
• Festive part: Following the ritual ceremonies are vibrant activities such as pottery modeling contests, handmade ceramic product competitions, Thanh Ha ceramic exhibitions, and folk art performances. Visitors can watch artisans demonstrate pottery-making techniques on kick-wheels, firing ceramics, or shaping products like flower vases and terracotta statues. The festival also features lion and dragon dances as well as folk games, creating a joyful, festive atmosphere.

These rituals not only preserve tradition but have also been organized on a larger scale in recent years to attract tourism.

The Thanh Ha Pottery Craft Ancestor Commemoration Festival carries deep cultural and spiritual values, acting as a red thread connecting the past to the present, helping to preserve and promote the nation's traditional craft heritage. Culturally, the festival honors pottery – a traditional craft dating back to the 15th-16th centuries when artisans migrated from Thanh Hoa to settle here and developed pottery techniques using Thu Bon River clay. It contributes to enhancing the community's spiritual life, bonding village residents through shared activities, while promoting the image of Thanh Ha Pottery Village as an indispensable part of Hoi An's UNESCO heritage.

Spiritually, the festival provides an occasion for villagers to express gratitude to their craft ancestors, praying for peace, favorable weather, and prosperous trades. The ceremonial rituals express faith in ancestral protection, sustaining the tradition of "when drinking water, remember the source" in Vietnamese culture. Amid urbanization, the festival also plays a crucial role in protecting intangible heritage, encouraging younger generations to learn the craft and safeguard local cultural identity. As a result, Thanh Ha Pottery Village is not merely a production site, but a symbol of the enduring vitality of Central Vietnamese folk culture.

The Thanh Ha Pottery Craft Ancestor Commemoration Festival is open not only to locals but also to tourists, offering many exciting interactive activities to help you immerse yourself in the craft village culture.

• Try hands-on pottery making: Visitors can try their hand at the clay wheel, shaping simple items like cups or vases under the guidance of artisans. This is a great opportunity to understand the ceramic production process from raw materials to finished products.
• Visit exhibitions and shop: At the festival, there is an exhibition area displaying hundreds of Thanh Ha ceramic products, ranging from household items to artistic creations. You can purchase them as souvenirs at reasonable prices.
• Watch cultural performances and folk games: Enjoy lion dances, Bai Choi singing, or participate in games like pot breaking and tug-of-war, bringing a lively atmosphere.
• Explore the terracotta park: Near the pottery village, this park with giant terracotta statues is an ideal place to take photos and learn about the history of pottery craft.

To participate, visitors should purchase an entry ticket to the village (around 30,000–50,000 VND/person) and wear comfortable clothes. The festival is also combined with Thu Bon River tours, allowing you to pair cultural experiences with relaxation. Visiting during this occasion, you will not only learn but also take home unforgettable memories of Hoi An's heritage.

The Thanh Ha Pottery Village Festival clearly reflects the connection between traditional handicrafts and the cultural life of the local community in Hoi An. Maintaining the festival serves not only to honor the founders' contributions but also enables intangible cultural values to be continued and adapted to modern contexts. Through ritual activities, performances, and experiences, the festival contributes to raising awareness of craft village preservation, while offering visitors a chance to access a distinctive cultural space, separate from Hoi An's familiar tourist spots.