The festival’s programme is being finalised for submission to the Prime Minister for approval.

According to a draft proposal by the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the event will be held under the theme “Buon Ma Thuot – Destination of World Coffee” and feature 30 activities.

The main programme will take place in western areas of Dak Lak, including an opening ceremony on March 8 at March 10 Square, a street festival, Vietnam Specialty Coffee Week combined with a food tour, and an international conference themed “Buon Ma Thuot – The robusta capital of the world”.

Other highlights will include a fair on coffee industry innovation, a farmers’ competition, a light festival, a Central Highlands rock music night, an outdoor performance titled “Memories of the Longhouse”, tributes to coffee growers and the launch of Buon Ma Thuot’s Coffee Street.

Six affiliated activities are planned in the province’s eastern areas, including a roadshow connecting Buon Ma Thuot with Tuy Hoa under the theme “Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Journey – From the Great Forests to the Blue Sea”. Coastal, ecological and community-based tourism experiences and a week of free coffee are also planned.

The festival aims to promote the Buon Ma Thuot coffee brand, advance Vietnamese specialty coffee, attract investment to deep processing and showcase the cultural identities of local ethnic groups. Organisers expect the event to draw 1.3 million visitors.

Trinh Duc Minh, Chairman of the Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Association, said the festival should highlight Vietnam’s position as a global Robusta powerhouse, with Dak Lak coffee serving as a leading representative. He called for stronger brand promotion to enhance the international standing and value of Robusta coffee from the province and Vietnam.

Vietnamese producers recently achieved notable results at the Global Robusta Awards 2026 in China, with nine of the 10 samples selected for the global Top 20 shortlist coming from Vietnam. Members of the Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Association contributed six samples.

The results reflect improvements in cultivation, harvesting and processing, including the use of ripe red cherries and techniques such as natural processing and controlled honey fermentation, which have helped enhance the flavour of locally grown Robusta.

Dak Lak looks to turn the festival into a driver of sustainable development by building year-round cultural spaces and tourism products while creating lasting livelihoods for local residents and businesses./.