The Phu Thuong village’s sticky rice cooking craft was officially recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2024, highlighting the enduring value of this traditional craft, making this year’s festival extremely meaningful. In the early afternoon, thousands of people eagerly gathered in Phu Gia Village to experience this unique food festival. The cool spring air was filled with the fragrant steam of sticky rice, which mingled with the festival's vibrant colors, creating a warm and joyful atmosphere.

The judges evaluate the contest entries.

The event started with an offering ceremony at the communal house, where people expressed gratitude to their ancestors and prayed for a successful new year with good harvests. The main event was a sticky rice cooking competition between different groups in the ward. Women carefully chose the ingredients, steamed the rice, and arranged their sticky rice platters to be visually impressive. The platters were colorful, featuring the bright red of gac fruit (red sweet gourd), the gold of mung beans, the green of pandan leaves, and the deep purple of black glutinous rice. This showcased the creativity and exquisite skills of the Phu Thuong villagers.

The festival showcased new sticky rice dishes alongside traditional ones like xoi vo (mung bean sticky rice), xoi gac (red sticky rice made with gac fruit), and xoi com (steamed young sticky rice), providing visitors with a unique culinary experience. The event also promoted other local specialties, such as banh chung, banh day, and che lam (a Vietnamese nutty ginger sticky rice bar). Alongside steaming sticky rice baskets, vendors shared their secrets for making perfectly soft and fragrant sticky rice, fostering a warm and inviting culinary atmosphere.

An eye-catching sticky rice platter prepared by the women from Phu Thuong Village.

Phu Thuong village’s sticky rice cooking craft has existed for centuries and is integral to the daily lives of the local people. Thanks to traditional family recipes and high-quality ingredients, Phu Thuong sticky rice is known for its great fragrance and stickiness, making it a familiar dish for people in Hanoi. It is often served at important events like weddings, festivals, and Lunar New Year celebrations. Nowadays, young artisans continue to preserve traditional sticky rice-making techniques while adding new flavors, which help maintain the strong reputation of Phu Thuong sticky rice in Hanoi’s food scene.

The 8th Phu Thuong Sticky Rice Festival was held during the village’s festival.

The Phu Thuong Sticky Rice Festival of 2025 was a significant tribute to traditional crafts and highlighted the rich cultural heritage of Hanoi. The festival had a lively atmosphere, colorful platters of sticky rice, and a strong sense of community, leaving a lasting impression on visitors and creating unforgettable memories.

By Viet Cuong/VNP  Translated by Phuong Thao