VietNamNet Bridge – The Vice Chairman of Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Ho Van Nien, announced on Monday that the province will fire ancient cannons at the Loc An wharf on January 30 to open the Ba Ria – Vung Tau Cultural Tourism Festival 2009.

: The cannon firing rituals was conducted for the first time at the Ba Ria – Vung Tau Sea Festival 2006.

According to the script, the cannon firing rituals will be carried out in an art program named “Loc An – Legends of Ships,” which reproduces the images of non-number vessels which transported weapons for the southern battle in the Vietnam War.

Loc An Wharf was the place where weapons of the Ho Chi Minh Trail On the Sea campaign was gathered. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recognized Loc An as a national historical site.

The Ba Ria – Vung Tau Cultural Tourism Festival 2009 will run from January 26 to February 4 in the whole province with unique sub-festivals: the Banh Tet (rice cake of southern people) Festival, the Vung Tau Spring Flower Festival, the Exhibition of Records and Photos of Ba Ria – Vung Tau, the Wine Festival, and the Festival to Commemorate Ancestors.

Other activities will include: beach volleyball, beach football, a Chinese chess competition, folk games, art performances, human chess, and exhibitions of calligraphy and tourist photos.

The event aims to introduce the location’s cultural identity and tourist sites as well as its economic potential to Vietnamese and international visitors and investors.

The Hung